http://newsroom.calgary.ca/
enSun, 07 Jun 2020 11:37:25 +0200Thu, 04 Jun 2020 22:12:28 +0200http://content.presspage.com/clients/150_1485.pnghttp://newsroom.calgary.ca/
144City of Calgary update on response to COVID-19 – June 4, 2020http://newsroom.calgary.ca/city-of-calgary-update-on-response-to-covid-19--june-4-2020/
http://newsroom.calgary.ca/city-of-calgary-update-on-response-to-covid-19--june-4-2020/The City of Calgary would like to remind citizens that we remain in a State of Local Emergency. This is to support the Government of Alberta’s efforts to combat the spread of COVID-19. The City of Calgary, in collaboration with social agencies, the business community, civic partners and citizens is taking immediate action to respond to COVID-19.

As the relaunch moves forward with more activities and businesses starting to return to normal operations, The City of Calgary will begin scaling down the regular live media updates to one per week. The next update will be held on Thursday, June 11 at 1 p.m.

Please see below for the latest updates.

311 Call Volumes

Currently 311 is experiencing higher than normal call volumes and long wait times. We have had 3,000 more calls last week than the same time last year. Typically, June is a busy time for tax questions into 311 and with questions this year about the tax relief plan and COVID-19 calls, there is a higher than normal call volume, which means that wait times are a bit longer.

If you are submitting a service request for something that’s not tax or COVID-19 related, many service requests can be completed online at calgary.ca/311 or you can download the mobile app and submit requests there.

Eau Clare Congestion

Calgarians are still spending a lot of time in the Eau Claire area. As a result, The City has expanded the routes available to pathway users at Eau Claire. Since May 29, an adaptive roadway has been put in place on Riverfront Ave from 1 St. S.W. to 2 St. S.W. and on 2 St. from Riverfront Ave. up to the Eau Claire promenade for wheeled travelers on bikes, rollerblades, scooters, etc.

This was put in place to relieve congestion and help Calgarians maintain the minimum 2 metres of physical distance to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. We will continue to have a walk-only zone at Eau Claire as well, for safety and distancing measures.

Bylaw and Parks’ Ambassadors will be on site this weekend, to support physical distancing and ensure public safety.

Flood Risk/River Safety

The forecast is calling for wet weather over the next week, which may result in higher river flows on the Bow and Elbow Rivers. Overland flooding into communities is not expected, but a boating advisory will likely remain in place and there may be pathway closures in low areas near the river.

Higher river flows are normal for this time of year. We are monitoring conditions 24/7 and will update you if there is change in advisory. We encourage Calgarians to know their home’s flood risk, taking precautions to prepare their family and property like moving valuables out of their basement, reviewing their emergency plan and where they might stay if they were evacuated and stay informed throughout the season.

You can also monitor flow rates in Alberta’s rivers and check forecasts and advisories on the Alberta Rivers website. A link is available by visiting calgary.ca/floodinfo.

As a reminder, especially during this time of year, be cautious around the river as conditions can change quickly. Our aquatics crews are patrolling the river. We have only had one incident in the last few days, on Monday, two rafters overturned in Harvie Passage and needed rescuing but were not injured.

Team Sports

The City is reminding Calgarians that team sports in Calgary are currently not allowed. Play fields, which are unstaffed fields in a community with no amenities, can be used with limitations.

Don’t gather in groups, or with people outside your immediate household. Groups larger than 50 people are strictly prohibited. Stay at least six feet/ two metres apart from people outside your immediate household at all times.

Playing catch, baseball or other activities with members of your immediate household is safe, and permitted. But it is not permitted with those outside your immediate household.

Calgarians are urged not to share objects, like balls or sports equipment, with people outside your household or cohort family as this greatly increases the risk of infection by passing objects from person to person.

Please do not participate in any organized team games or activities.

Be Kind to Businesses

With many businesses reopening under very different circumstances, remember your part in keeping yourself and your family safe and healthy. Before heading out, inform yourself. Read the Government of Alberta’s guidelines for businesses and customers so you know what to expect when you’re out.

Be patient with local businesses; many of them may be feeling uneasy. They want to stay safe and want you to stay safe too. We’re all in this together, and together we can get our economy back up and running in a safe and healthy way.

]]>banner,city newsThu, 04 Jun 2020 14:12:28 -0600https://content.presspage.com/clients/150_1485.png?https://content.presspage.com/clients/150_1485.png?The City of Calgary kicks off its 2020 paving programhttp://newsroom.calgary.ca/the-city-of-calgary-kicks-off-its-2020-paving-program/
http://newsroom.calgary.ca/the-city-of-calgary-kicks-off-its-2020-paving-program/The 2020 paving program, which will see roads at more than 110 locations in Calgary resurfaced, kicks off this week. City and contracted crews will be replacing asphalt and concrete to make our roads smoother and safer.

For the 2020 construction season, nearly $40 million will be invested by The City of Calgary to maintain existing roadways through lifecycle maintenance construction. Calgarians will begin to see this work happening on major roadways and on residential streets.Some of the major roadways this year include:

“This year’s paving program will go a long way towards making roads better and safer and will be welcome news to those who use these routes and have been asking for smoother roads” says Roads’ Manager of Construction Barry Poon.

“Rehabilitating the right roads at the right time, using the right treatment, extends the life of our infrastructure,” adds Poon. “This will ensure our roads are safe for all users such as pedestrians, cyclists and transit users as well motorists and goods movement which is vital for the economy.”

There will be 285 lane-kilometers resurfaced this year with a majority of work will be completed by local contractors creating local jobs in our city.

“Based on several of the contracts that have been awarded, we are seeing strong interest from industry partners resulting in favourable pricing,” explains Poon. “The City is using these savings and putting out additional contracts to the private sector and using the capacity in the roadbuilding industry stretching our tax dollar further for the benefit of citizens.”

Paving work will continue until the end of October, weather and budget permitting.

“What’s different with this year’s program is that due to the reduced volume of traffic, roadwork has been scheduled during the weekdays when possible. This makes it less expensive for contractors to resurface these roadways and helps to make our investments go further,” says Roads Director Troy McLeod.

McLeod says with increased construction activities on the road, drivers need to be reminded to slow down and watch out for crews on-site.

“People working on our roadways have families they support and we want workers and drivers to get home safely. Please obey all signage and flag persons working so we can get our jobs done for you safely and effectively.”

Other helpful tips for drivers include:

Plan trips with the expectation that travel will take a few minutes longer during the summer construction season.

Use alternate routes if you know the whereabouts of a construction zone, especially zones operating over a lengthy period of time. This will reduce traffic congestion and related risks.

Obey speed limits in construction zones. Sometimes hazards are not visible to the motorist, but still pose a threat.

Obey all rules and signs even when people and equipment are not working – these are there for your safety and there may be danger present

Cooperate with other drivers to keep traffic moving smoothly. When traffic needs to merge because of a lane closure, ease into the driving lane early and leave gaps for other vehicles to merge.

We ask that residents be patient, slow down and obey all construction signage and detours. We also ask that citizens remove their vehicles as requested to allow us to complete our work efficiently and in a timely manner.

The City would also like to remind citizens they are able to see all roadway projects, including paving, on the Roadway Activities Map. For more information on this year’s paving projects, visit Calgary.ca/paving.

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]]>city news,bannerThu, 04 Jun 2020 10:00:00 -0600https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1485/500_paving.jpg?10000https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1485/paving.jpg?10000Fire Chief announces 100th Birthday Surprise programhttp://newsroom.calgary.ca/fire-chief-announces-100th-birthday-surprise-program/
http://newsroom.calgary.ca/fire-chief-announces-100th-birthday-surprise-program/Calgary firefighters completed almost 9000 Drive-By Birthdays in April and May this year as part of the hugely popular Drive-By Birthday program.

Due to the pandemic, the Calgary Fire Department wasn’t able to engage with citizens in the ways they usually do, so this program offered the opportunity to get out and about in the community and bring a smile to the faces of birthday boys and girls.

Today, Fire Chief Steve Dongworth announced that while the Drive-By Birthday program ended on May 31, the fire department have created a new 100th Birthday Surprise program that will celebrate the birthdays of Calgarians who are turning 100.

“CFD is hugely appreciative of everyone who made the birthday program such a success. We loved seeing your smiling faces on your doorsteps as the fire trucks went by to wish you a happy birthday. As we move towards our ‘new normal’, we are extending the program to celebrate Calgarians who are turning 100 years old,” says Chief Steve Dongworth. “It is important to recognize and value people who are reaching this milestone birthday.”

]]>banner,city newsWed, 03 Jun 2020 10:18:40 -0600https://content.presspage.com/clients/150_1485.png?10000https://content.presspage.com/clients/150_1485.png?10000Green Line committee supports recommended Stage 1 alignmenthttp://newsroom.calgary.ca/green-line-committee-supports-recommended-stage-1-alignment/
http://newsroom.calgary.ca/green-line-committee-supports-recommended-stage-1-alignment/CALGARY – On Tuesday, June 2 the Green Line Committee of Council agreed to forward to the June 15, 2020 Council meeting, Administration’s recommendation on the updated Stage 1 alignment along with suggested changes from Committee members.

“Committee’s review is a crucial step toward delivering an improved transit system for Calgarians,” said Michael Thompson, General Manager of Green Line. “We are confident we have the right alignment for Stage 1, the right project for Calgarians and the right approach to deliver the project successfully. This updated alignment presented to Committee over the last two days provides the highest value transit system, while addressing previous concerns about budget, construction risk and customer experience.”

In its entirety, the Green Line will deliver high-quality transit service to Calgarians in north central and southeast communities. Construction of Stage 1 of the Green Line is our next step towards completing Calgary’s transit network, as set out in RouteAhead: A Strategic Plan for Transit in Calgary. Along with the new MAX bus rapid transit lines, The City of Calgary is committed to delivering a transit service that provides fast, frequent and reliable service for our customers that connects communities, employment hubs, and key destinations across the city.

“Green Line is important to the future and benefits all Calgarians,” Thompson said. “Green Line is planned for long-term city shaping and spurring redevelopment and investment opportunities in Calgary and will be an important part of the city’s recovery generating 20,000 jobs.”

City Council will make a decision on Administration’s recommendations on June 15, 2020. Pending approval, Administration will release the Request for Proposal (RFP) for segment 1 (Elbow River to Shepard) on July 24 and continue the functional planning for segment 2 (16 Avenue N to Elbow River). The Green Line Committee will meet in June or July to consider the recommendation on project governance.

Updates to Stage 1 include:

A surface alignment on Centre Street N and a surface station at 16 Avenue N

Addition of 9 Avenue N Station in Crescent Heights

A bridge over the river

A Below-grade station/portal at 2 Avenue S.W. to be integrated in the Eau Claire Market redevelopment site

7 Avenue underground station

Underground alignment on 11 Avenue in the Beltline and an underground station at 4 Street S.E.

]]>banner,city newsTue, 02 Jun 2020 21:37:31 -0600https://content.presspage.com/clients/150_1485.png?10000https://content.presspage.com/clients/150_1485.png?10000The City of Calgary celebrates Seniors Weekhttp://newsroom.calgary.ca/the-city-of-calgary-celebrates-seniors-week/
http://newsroom.calgary.ca/the-city-of-calgary-celebrates-seniors-week/June 1-7 is Seniors Week in Calgary, and there are events planned all week to celebrate older adults in our community. All events are being held online so that people can follow physical distancing rules during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The City of Calgary is holding virtual fitness classes for seniors, and there are community events such as movie nights, virtual meets-ups, and discussions about issues important to seniors in our community. The complete event calendar is available at Calgary.ca/SeniorsWeek.

Seniors Week is especially significant this year. The COVID-19 pandemic has been particularly difficult for Calgary’s seniors, yet we have witnessed how resilient many of our seniors are. The City will celebrate that strength this year during Seniors Week. The City encourages all of us, whether we are young or old, to understand the needs of older adults in our communities and to support them and celebrate them this week and every week.

Help us celebrate the older adult in our lives:

Connect with neighbors and friends that you know are caring for a loved one.

Have a physically distant conversation with an older adult about things that inspire and engage them.

Cook your older adult’s favorite recipe and drop off a sample for tasting so you can see how close you got to the original.

Help out with their gardens and yard work.

Listen with empathy to truly understand what the person is feeling, and offer hope.

If you are interested in any of the free events during Seniors Week, or you know of an older adult who would enjoy connecting, please visit calgary.ca/SeniorsWeek to see the calendar and sign up for events.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, The City of Calgary is working to support Calgarians as we all work together to flatten the curve and rebound from the pandemic.

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]]>banner,Seniors,neighbourhoodsTue, 02 Jun 2020 14:12:36 -0600https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1485/500_senioresweek2020.jpg?10000https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1485/senioresweek2020.jpg?10000City of Calgary update on response to COVID-19 – June 2, 2020http://newsroom.calgary.ca/city-of-calgary-update-on-response-to-covid-19--june-2-2020/
http://newsroom.calgary.ca/city-of-calgary-update-on-response-to-covid-19--june-2-2020/The City of Calgary would like to remind citizens that we remain in a State of Local Emergency. This is to support the Government of Alberta’s efforts to combat the spread of COVID-19. The City of Calgary, in collaboration with social agencies, the business community, civic partners and citizens is taking immediate action to respond to COVID-19.

As the relaunch moves forward with more activities and businesses starting to return to normal operations, The City of Calgary will begin scaling down the regular live media updates to one per week. The next update will be held on Thursday, June 4 at 1 p.m.

Please see below for the latest updates.

June 2 relaunch update

With the downward trend in number of cases, Calgary began the final stages of the phase one relaunch yesterday. This final phase of Stage 1 includes the opening of day camps and summer schools with occupancy limits, additional flexibility for places of worship and funeral services, and flexibility on how in-person post-secondary courses are delivered.

Calgary Community Standards Weekend PatrolsOver the weekend, Peace Officers and Parks Ambassadors observations were overwhelmingly positive. City Parks Ambassadors spoke with over 7,273 people enjoying our parks and pathways.

No tickets were handed out for Public Health Act violations. City peace officers conducted 240 visible patrols and issued 229 verbal warnings. 27 calls were received related to concerns about citizens not following the public health order, including physical distancing, and public gatherings.

Business License received 4 new calls over the weekend and conducted 48 inspections. Several businesses were inspected and no tickets were issued as all locations were adhering to physical distancing and public health orders.

Business Licensing officers will continue to work with local businesses, helping to ensure the safety of both staff and patrons in these establishments.

Recycling facility resumes regular operationsThe Cascades Recovery sorting facility has fully resumed regular recycling operations. All materials collected from blue carts will be sorted and recycled. Calgarians are encouraged to put out their blue carts for pickup and to ensure the right items are put in the right bins. For a list of acceptable items, visit calgary.ca/recycling. We also want to thank Calgarians for their patience as we worked to keep employees safe and maintain blue cart service while dealing with this outbreak.

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]]>banner,City NewsTue, 02 Jun 2020 10:33:00 -0600https://content.presspage.com/clients/150_1485.png?10000https://content.presspage.com/clients/150_1485.png?10000Boating advisory for the Elbow and Bow Rivershttp://newsroom.calgary.ca/boating-advisory-for-the-elbow-and-bow-rivers/
http://newsroom.calgary.ca/boating-advisory-for-the-elbow-and-bow-rivers/The City of Calgary is issuing a boating advisory for the Bow and Elbow Rivers, due to higher expected flow rates and the current forecast. Calgarians are advised against boating and all other watercraft activities on the rivers during this time.

We are expecting ongoing high flows for the next while, due to snowmelt, the ongoing presence of thunderstorms, and a low pressure system entering Alberta on the weekend.

No flooding over riverbanks is expected, however, flows on the Bow and Elbow are currently fast, cold and murky, making conditions on and near the rivers dangerous.

Members of Calgary Fire Department Aquatics Team will be monitoring the rivers while the advisory is in place. For the safety of river users and emergency responders, The City advises everyone to stay off the Elbow and Bow Rivers until conditions return to safe levels and the advisory is lifted.

It is also important for Calgarians near the rivers to be aware of high flow levels. Calgarians are urged to:

Exercise caution around river banks as the fast-moving water can cause erosion and destabilization of river banks.

Warn their children about the dangers of fast-moving water, particularly those residents who live near the rivers.

Cyclists and pedestrians should watch for low-lying areas where the river can submerge the pathways

The City of Calgary would like to remind citizens that we remain in a State of Local Emergency. This is to support the Government of Alberta’s efforts to combat the spread of COVID-19. The City of Calgary, in collaboration with social agencies, the business community, civic partners and citizens is taking immediate action to respond to COVID-19.

Please see below for the latest updates

May 25 relaunch update

To align with updated provincial guidelines, The City of Calgary will begin the process of re-opening more than 1,100 City-operated playgrounds, starting May 29.

Regional playgrounds will be opened first. These playgrounds are designed to serve more than one community, like Bowness Park, Riley Park and Stanley Park. Following this, community playgrounds will open. It will take several days to re-open all City-operated playgrounds. This process is expected to be completed by Wednesday, June 3.

As part of this process, Calgary Parks staff will be doing a light inspection of each playground. If any issues are discovered upon inspection, the playground will remain closed until maintenance can repair it. Calgary’s playgrounds typically receive monthly inspections during the summer and a total of seven inspections per year. These are done by qualified playground inspectors – these routine inspections will resume again following the re-opening.

Playgrounds are high-touch point structures. These play areas are not disinfected or cleaned after use. There is also a limited ability to manage physical distancing on these structures. Calgarians are strongly encouraged to follow these guidelines:

Those who are sick or have symptoms related to COVID-19 must not use playgrounds.

Practice proper hand hygiene. Wash and sanitize your hands before and after use.

Encourage children to avoid sharing toys or sports equipment and limit contact with individuals outside of their household or cohort family. Try to encourage your children to avoid touching their face.

Maintain two metres (six feet) of physical distance between yourself and others.

Clean and disinfect toys and sports equipment prior to and after use.

Carry and use hand sanitizer containing at least 60 per cent alcohol content immediately before and after using playground equipment.

Maintain physical distancing and limit congregating with other people when entering and leaving the playground and supervising children playing (e.g. paths, benches, picnic areas).

Follow Government of Alberta guidance on group gatherings.

“We know Calgarians are eager to return to playgrounds. We’re asking citizens to be patient,” says Calgary Emergency Management Agency Deputy Chief Sue Henry.” “Please wait until tape has been removed and signage has been placed indicating a playground is open before using a playground.”

30-minute curbside pickup and delivery free parking zone promotion:

The 30-minute curbside pickup and delivery free parking zone promotion is coming to an end May 31. Starting on June 1, payment will be required again. This was a temporary initiative – it is now being lifted as part of the relaunch/reopening.

Temporary Outdoor Patios

To support the local economy and small businesses that are re-opening, The City has developed a new process to approve temporary patios on public land, such as a sidewalk, and private property, such as a parking lot.

Businesses can call 403-268-5311 to start their application and speak with The City of Calgary Planning Department. There is no fee for a temporary permission on public land. However, if a patio is on private property, a development permit is require. Once a temporary patio is approved, the business will be required to follow Alberta Health requirements, guidance from the Chief Medical Officer of Alberta, as well as Occupational Health and Safety requirements. This includes pedestrian safety and accessibility.

Temporary patios are one more option to create more physical distancing for patrons and staff.

To date, 45 applications for temporary outdoor patios have been completed, 34 applications are being processed (in the queue) and six temporary patios are installed and operating.

May 28 guidance for the weekend

“With warm weather expected this weekend and with the easing of restrictions, we know Calgarians will be keen to get outside,” says Calgary Emergency Management Agency Deputy Chief Sue Henry. “It’s important to maintain the progress we’ve made, and keep ourselves and others safe. We need to be careful and thoughtful about our actions to ensure we maintain two metres physical distance from others.”

Calgarians are being asked to be ready to adjust plans as necessary.

“If you go to a favourite park and find it’s crowded, please adjust your plans to go to a different area,” says Henry. “If you are driving to a park and find the parking lot is full when you arrive, do not park illegally or in nearby communities. We ask that you find an alternative so that we can manage crowding and enable physical distancing.”

City of Calgary Parks Ambassadors and Peace Officers will be patrolling popular areas such as Eau Claire where there continues to be challenges with crowding and physical distancing.

Additionally, Business Licence inspectors will continue to conduct weekly inspections helping to ensure the safety of both staff and patrons for the foreseeable future.

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]]>banner,City NewsThu, 28 May 2020 14:07:00 -0600https://content.presspage.com/clients/150_1485.png?10000https://content.presspage.com/clients/150_1485.png?10000City to bring updated Green Line route to Committee Mondayhttp://newsroom.calgary.ca/city-to-bring-updated-green-line-route-to-committee-monday/
http://newsroom.calgary.ca/city-to-bring-updated-green-line-route-to-committee-monday/On Monday, June 1 Administration will present reports to the Green Line Committee of Council on the Updated Stage 1 route, finance and governance.

Updates to the route include:

A surface alignment on Centre Street N and a surface station at 16 Avenue N

A bridge over the river

Addition of 9 Avenue N Station in Crescent Heights

A Below-grade station/portal at 2 Avenue S.W. to be integrated in Eau Claire Market redevelopment site

7 Avenue underground station

An underground alignment on 11 Avenue in the Beltline and an underground station at 4 Street S.E.

BRT improvements

“This updated alignment provides a high quality transit system while addressing previous concerns about budget, construction risk and customer experience,” said Michael Thompson, General Manager of Green Line. “It helps us deliver the full Stage 1 route from 16 Avenue N to Shepard and deliver the best value for Calgarians.”

This updated route provides benefits including:

Maximizing ridership

Directly connecting people to the core

Facilitates future expansion north and south

Connecting people to the Beltline and the Entertainment District

BRT enhancements in the north.

Green Line is more than a commuter line that gets people to and from downtown. Green Line connects all types of Calgarians to jobs and services throughout all our communities. Transit serves not only those who commute to and from downtown for work, but also those who work in our communities, those who go to school, and those who cannot or do not wish to drive.

“High quality transit, like LRT, is a necessity for cities to grow, be attractive to a talented workforce, and to be competitive economic centres, locally and internationally,” said Thompson. “With this in mind, the Green Line is planned for long-term city building opportunities and spurring redevelopment and investment opportunities in Calgary businesses and communities.”

As The City’s largest job creation project, construction of Green Line Stage 1 will be a critical component of The City’s COVID-19 recovery effort by creating approximately 20,000 direct and supporting jobs over the duration of construction. We are continuing to move forward to support Calgary’s economic response and long-term recovery. Construction of the Green Line will keep tax dollars in the city, investing in public infrastructure that will serve the needs of Calgarians for decades to come and creating needed jobs in the coming years. The Enabling Works program is keeping people in Calgary working today and will continue to generate jobs between now and when the main construction is scheduled to start in 2021.

How to participate in the Committee meeting

Members of the public can sign up to speak at the meeting until June 1, just so long as the item they want to speak to hasn’t already passed.

Public wishing to speak are invited to contact the City Clerk’s Office by email at publicsubmissions@calgary.ca to register and to receive further information.

City Clerks will send out instructions on how to speak during the meeting by phone to members of the public who register leading up to and on the day of meeting.

]]>banner,city news,green lineWed, 27 May 2020 15:16:09 -0600https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1485/500_centrestreetn9avenuestationconcept-2.jpg?10000https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1485/centrestreetn9avenuestationconcept-2.jpg?10000The City marks Sexual Violence Awareness Monthhttp://newsroom.calgary.ca/the-city-marks-sexual-violence-awareness-month/
http://newsroom.calgary.ca/the-city-marks-sexual-violence-awareness-month/Since the start of the pandemic, there has been a 40 per cent increase in calls to Alberta One Line sexual violence help line. This is a 40 per cent increase over the same time last year.

May is Sexual Violence Awareness month in Alberta. The City of Calgary has added new online resource to The City’s COVID-19 response pages that brings together community resources and supports to help people who are experiencing domestic and sexual violence.

COVID-19 can add to extra stress on people, like unemployment or financial stress. According to Alberta One Line, social isolation can also increase risk to personal safety through domestic and sexual violence. People are in isolation, and no longer have the same ways to connect in person with friends and family which can make it harder to reach out for help when they need to.

The online resources available on Calgary.ca include numbers to call if you are experiencing domestic or sexual violence, or if you suspect a friend or loved one is being abused. As a community, we need to let survivors of sexual violence know: We believe you and it’s not your fault. When you’re ready, there’s a safe place to call.

The Alberta One Line helpline number is 1-866-403-8000. Please visit The City’s webpage for a list of other community resources.

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]]>feature,bannerWed, 27 May 2020 13:45:04 -0600https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1485/500_2017-xxxx-senior-services-44-73645003.jpg?10000https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1485/2017-xxxx-senior-services-44-73645003.jpg?10000City of Calgary update on response to COVID-19 – May 26, 2020http://newsroom.calgary.ca/city-of-calgary-update-on-response-to-covid-19--may-26-2020/
http://newsroom.calgary.ca/city-of-calgary-update-on-response-to-covid-19--may-26-2020/The City of Calgary would like to remind citizens that we remain in a State of Local Emergency. This is to support the Government of Alberta’s efforts to combat the spread of COVID-19. The City of Calgary, in collaboration with social agencies, the business community, civic partners and citizens is taking immediate action to respond to COVID-19.

Please see below for the latest updates

May 25 relaunch update

As part of phase one of The Province of Alberta’s relaunch strategy, hairstyling and barbershops as well as cafes, restaurants, pubs, and bars for table service at 50 per cent capacity were permitted to reopen in Calgary yesterday. The initial day of reopening was positive with 311 receiving minimal calls and Business Licencing receiving only two complaints, both related to physical distancing.

“Businesses are really trying to work through this new operating landscape. It’s a great time for us, as Calgarians, to help these businesses be successful,” says Calgary Emergency Management Agency Deputy Chief Sue Henry. “Talk to the management of a business, if you see a change that can be done to make the business safer.”

Business Licensing officers will continue to be out this week and the foreseeable future, helping to ensure the safety of both staff and patrons in these establishments.

Visiting newly opened businesses

With many businesses reopening under very different circumstances, The City is asking Calgarians to follow a few simple requests before heading out:

Inform yourself – The Province has released the guidelines on the Alberta Biz Connect website for different businesses and it is important that customers understand them too. Please read up on the rules and regulations for each business before visiting them.

Prepare yourself - Continue to maintain the everyday practices that have helped us get to today, including physical distancing, frequent handwashing and wearing a face covering when out and about.

Blue Cart Update

As of May 25, there are no additional cases of COVID-19 at the Cascades Recovery sorting facility. The recycling facility will be operating at about 75 per cent by the end of the week as operations return to normal capacity. If you can’t hold onto material anymore, please put out your blue cart for pickup this week. Thank you for your patience and for putting the right items into the right bins.

Calgary Community Standards Weekend Patrols

Over the weekend, Peace Officers and Parks Ambassadors observations were overwhelmingly positive. City Parks Ambassadors spoke with over 10,372 people enjoying our parks and pathways. There still are physical distancing issues around skateparks and challenges in Eau Claire due to the sheer volume of people visiting the area

Calgarians are asked to avoid the following parks due to congestion:-Eau Claire Promenade-Prince’s Island Park-Sue Higgins Dog Park-Nose Hill Park

No tickets were handed out for Public Health Act violations. City officers conducted 190 visible patrols and issued 142 verbal warnings. 64 calls were received related to concerns about citizens not following the public health order, including physical distancing, public gatherings and playground use when closed.

Business License received 21 calls over the weekend and conducted 32 inspections. One warning was issued.

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]]>Calgary,City News,bannerTue, 26 May 2020 17:20:00 -0600https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1485/500_riverpathway-475823.jpg?10000https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1485/riverpathway-475823.jpg?100002020 Property tax billshttp://newsroom.calgary.ca/2020-property-tax-bills/
http://newsroom.calgary.ca/2020-property-tax-bills/Tax bills for approximately 530,000 residential and non-residential properties are being mailed this week. All property owners should have received their property tax bill in the mail by the end of next week.

Property owners who have not received their property tax bill by the first week of June should visit calgary.ca/propertytax or contact 311 to obtain a copy of their bill.

Property tax is due Tuesday, June 30th. Citizens facing financial hardship because of COVID-19, have an option to delay their payment until Sept. 30 without a late payment penalty. If they’re able to pay their property tax on or before June 30 or can participate in the Tax Instalment Payment Plan (TIPP) they’ll be supporting essential services for all Calgarians.

The property tax deadline does not apply to property owners who pay monthly through TIPP. The regular filing fee for taxpayers who join TIPP has been suspended until January 1, 2021. This makes it easier for property owners to join TIPP, which helps them avoid late payment penalties and a large lump payment. More than 270,000 property owners pay their tax monthly through TIPP. Property owners can join TIPP at any time by visiting www.calgary.ca/TIPP to request an agreement or by calling 311.

Help is available to assist eligible low-income homeowners who meet income guidelines and eligibility criteria, regardless of age. For more information visit calgary.ca/ptap.

Funds collected through property tax are split between the Alberta Government and The City of Calgary. Property owners can go to the calgary.ca/taxbreakdown to enter the amount of their property tax and see how their municipal property tax dollars are invested in City services that Calgarians rely on every day.

The City is committed to engaging with Calgarians and working together to ensure our services align with their priorities in a fiscally responsible manner. We want citizens to know how property tax is collected and used to deliver essential City services and programs while keeping the cost of local government low.

]]>Calgary,City News,banner,financeTue, 26 May 2020 14:08:12 -0600https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1485/500_nodocket-istock-579732722-67745-imageforesqstory.jpg?10000https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1485/nodocket-istock-579732722-67745-imageforesqstory.jpg?10000Prohibited businesses bylaw passed by Council to ban the practice and promotion of conversion therapy in Calgaryhttp://newsroom.calgary.ca/prohibited-businesses-bylaw-passed-by-council-to-ban-the-practice-and-promotion-of-conversion-therapy-in-calgary/
http://newsroom.calgary.ca/prohibited-businesses-bylaw-passed-by-council-to-ban-the-practice-and-promotion-of-conversion-therapy-in-calgary/Calgary City Council voted to pass the Prohibited Business Bylaw (BYLAW NUMBER 20M2020) to ban the practice and promotion of conversion therapy. With this, The City of Calgary initiates new regulations to protect Calgarians, regardless of gender and sexual orientation, to continue to be a city that is welcoming for all, committed to supporting equality and human rights.

Conversion therapy has been deemed a harmful and unscientific practice. The bylaw prohibits the business practice of conversion therapy, which includes a fine for those advertising or offering conversion therapy services within Calgary.

All levels of government have a role to play in protecting Calgarians from the harms associated with this type of practice. Calgary City Council may pass bylaws for municipal purposes respecting the safety, health and welfare of people. The City of Calgary has the authority to pass bylaws concerning businesses, ensuring citizens’ expectations for safe and ethical business practices are met.

“This regulation is aimed at ensuring the safety of Calgarians,” says Stacey McManaman, Business Strategist with The City of Calgary. “The City of Calgary is developing tools that can be used as a reference to this business prohibition, that will be made available for public education purposes,” says McManaman.

The federal government has also taken steps to ban the practice. The Federal Minister of Justice has been instructed by the Prime Minister’s Office to amend the Criminal Code to ban the practice of conversion therapy and take other steps required with the provinces and territories to end conversion therapy in Canada. In March 2020 the Federal Government introduced legislation to criminalize conversion therapy-related conduct in Canada. The legislation proposes five new conversion therapy related, Criminal Code offenses.

“It is important to note, that the bylaw will not apply to those businesses that provide support services for a person’s social, medical or legal gender transition; or to a person’s non-judgmental exploration and acceptance of their identity or development,” says McManaman.

In January 2020 a Notice of Motion sponsored by Councillors Evan Woolley, Druh Farrell, Gian-Carlo Carra, Jyoti Gondek, Peter Demong and Mayor Naheed Nenshi, was passed by City Council unanimously. The City of Calgary Administration was directed to develop a bylaw that, if approved by Council, would prohibit the engagement in or operation of a business that conducts “conversion therapy”.

Administration was asked to return to the Standing Policy Committee (SPC) on Community and Protective Services in May 2020 with a proposed bylaw outlining definitions of the business and enforcement practices. Council committee unanimously voted the proposed bylaw through to the Combined Meeting of Council on May 25, 2020.

Calgary is the seventh municipality in Alberta to have passed a bylaw prohibiting the practice and promotion of conversion therapy, following Edmonton, St. Albert, Strathcona County, Wood Buffalo, Rocky Mountain House, and Spruce Grove.

The penalty for offence under this bylaw is a $10,000 fine for any person found to be contravening any provision of the bylaw.

The bylaw will operate on a complaint basis – individuals or businesses known or suspected to be engaging in this process can be reported by calling 311. Every call will be investigated.

More information will be made available on Calgary.ca.

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]]>City Release,banner,community standardsMon, 25 May 2020 17:26:33 -0600https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1485/500_2018-xxxx-img-5140-78815.jpg?10000https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1485/2018-xxxx-img-5140-78815.jpg?10000City of Calgary Issues Court Summons to Illicit Cannabis Storehttp://newsroom.calgary.ca/city-of-calgary-issues-court-summons-to-illicit-cannabis-store/
http://newsroom.calgary.ca/city-of-calgary-issues-court-summons-to-illicit-cannabis-store/A retail store in southwest Calgary has been issued two mandatory court summons by City of Calgary business licence inspectors for illegally selling cannabis products to the public, in contravention of the Business Licence Bylaw.

Earlier this month, Calgary Community Standard’s Business Licensing division was informed the business was operating as a cannabis store, without the necessary licences or permits in place, and an investigation was launched. A business licence inspector visited the store and observed plant growing equipment, fertilizers, cannabis seeds and cannabis-related retail items for sale.

In Calgary, a development permit, building permit and municipal business licence are required to start a cannabis store. All businesses displaying, selling or offering for sale cannabis (including cannabis seeds) in Alberta must also obtain a retail cannabis licence from the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission (AGLC). City of Calgary business licence inspectors work closely with AGLC inspectors and Calgary Police Service to address complaints on cannabis concerns. Businesses can incur heavy fines for selling cannabis products without a licence. City of Calgary fines can be up to $10,000 for each violation. There can be additional fines levied at the provincial and federal level. Businesses may also have their business licence suspended or revoked.

“This serves as a reminder that business owners must obtain all AGLC and City permits and licences prior to operating a cannabis store. In addition, all cannabis offered for sale must be sourced from a federally approved and licensed cannabis facility,” said Acting Chief Business Licence Inspector Michael Briegel.

“For their safety and well-being, we are also asking Calgarians to make sure they are purchasing cannabis products from licensed, and therefore regulated businesses. Legitimate businesses will have permits and licences displayed inside the store,” added Briegel.

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]]>Calgary,cannabis,City Release,bannerMon, 25 May 2020 16:08:36 -0600https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1485/500_gettyimages-821837594.jpg?10000https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1485/gettyimages-821837594.jpg?10000New Spyhill Services Centre improves in-custody carehttp://newsroom.calgary.ca/new-spyhill-services-centre-improves-in-custody-care/
http://newsroom.calgary.ca/new-spyhill-services-centre-improves-in-custody-care/After almost 60 years of being the central hub for processing people who have been arrested, the holding cells in in the downtown core will be retired this week as we are moving into the new Spyhill Services Centre this Wednesday, May 27, 2020.

The Downtown facility was built as part of a new Police Headquarters building in 1961, when Calgary only had 241,000 residents. While there have been some upgrades over the years, it was becoming increasingly difficult for us to keep up with the demands of a growing city and the evolving standards for in-custody care.

“Our officers and staff have done an amazing job of making the aging facility work to meet the standards of care Calgarians expect of us,” said Chief Constable Mark Neufeld. “But there is only so much you can do in a place designed six decades ago for a city five times smaller that we are now.”

The Spyhill Services Centre has a modern design that uses current technology to provide a safer, more secure environment where the dignity and wellbeing of arrestees is better protected.

Some of the key improvements to in-custody care are:

More than twice the total cells allow for better separation of people in custody

Separate entrances and processing areas for adults and youth to protect minors

Enclosed bay to load and unload arrestees is safer and protects privacy

Modern cell design better protects against self-harm and offers more privacy

Better lighting, dimmable lights in cells, easier cleaning and better noise control to support a higher standard of care for arrestees

The modern building also offers a safer and healthier work environment for our officers and staff with better lighting, more office space and the ability to better monitor and control what is happening throughout the building.

“We are grateful to our community for once again equipping us to be a forward-thinking and leading police agency,” added Chief Neufeld. “This building will allow us to continue processing people in our custody with compassion, dignity and respect for decades to come.”

Once we move into the Spyhill Services Centre, located at 12500 85 St. N.W., the old facility will be returned to the City of Calgary.

]]>Calgary,Police,bannerMon, 25 May 2020 11:18:16 -0600https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1485/500_20-05-25spyhillsign.jpg?10000https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1485/20-05-25spyhillsign.jpg?10000The City of Calgary issues high stream flow advisory for the Elbow Riverhttp://newsroom.calgary.ca/the-city-of-calgary-issues-high-stream-flow-advisory-for-the-elbow-river/
http://newsroom.calgary.ca/the-city-of-calgary-issues-high-stream-flow-advisory-for-the-elbow-river/May 22, 2020The City of Calgary is issuing a high stream flow advisory for the Elbow River effective immediately. Water flow rates have increased significantly on the Elbow River as a result of recent precipitation. The City of Calgary is advising Calgarians to use extra caution in and around the river during this time.

Carol Henke, Public Information Officer with the Calgary Fire Department states, “Where there’s water, there’s risk. These elevated flow rates dramatically increase the risk to those who are in and around the Elbow River and so we are issuing this advisory”.

Calgarians are urged to:

Exercise caution around river banks as the fast-moving water can cause erosion and destabilization of river banks.

Warn their children about the dangers of fast-moving water, particularly those residents who live near the rivers.

]]>Calgary,City News,bannerFri, 22 May 2020 11:25:17 -0600https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1485/500_elbowriver-2.jpg?10000https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1485/elbowriver-2.jpg?10000City of Calgary update on response to COVID-19 – May 21, 2020http://newsroom.calgary.ca/city-of-calgary-update-on-response-to-covid-19--may-21-2020/
http://newsroom.calgary.ca/city-of-calgary-update-on-response-to-covid-19--may-21-2020/The City of Calgary would like to remind citizens that we remain in a State of Local Emergency. This is to support the Government of Alberta’s efforts to combat the spread of COVID-19. The City of Calgary, in collaboration with social agencies, the business community, civic partners and citizens is taking immediate action to respond to COVID-19.

Please see below for the latest updates

Requests for temporary patios

As we prepare for the Province’s opening date for Calgary, currently slated for Monday, May 25, Council has announced a new temporary permission for outdoor patios. These temporary patios can be used for retail outlets or restaurants, and allow more space for patrons and staff to maintain physical distances.

As of May 20, The City has received 43 pre-application enquiries for temporary permissions, and requests have steadily increased since Council’s decision to support them on May 11.

A temporary permission will be issued at no cost for an outdoor temporary patio. Existing patios on public lands will not be charged for the 2020 season.

Outside of patios, The City continues to issue permits and conduct inspections so businesses can occupy their premises and prepare for reopening on the dates set by the Province.

Text Message Scam

The City has become aware of a text message scam indicating that The City is offering citizens money “to combat the tragedy of COVID-19.” This text message is not from The City. Please do not respond to this message, and always be aware of unsolicited attempts to obtain personal information about your identity, online accounts, or money.

Public Gatherings

Public Health Orders were amended by the province on Friday, May 15 to allow outdoor gatherings of up to 50 people.

Under these new orders:

Small backyard gatherings are permissible, provided AHS orders on physical distancing are respected: this includes staying two meters apart from people not part of your immediate household and you may not share food.

Visiting parks in small groups is also permissible. Picnic sites are not bookable through Parks at this time, but are available on a first-come, first served basis.

Access to the river is permissible. Again, physical distancing must be maintained: some small water craft may not be large enough to maintain an appropriate distance. Glenmore Reservoir is currently off-limits due to water levels.

Peace Officers will be patrolling popular outdoor spots this weekend, including the downtown Eau Claire area, where The City continues to see challenges with physical distancing.

E-scooters

Working with AHS, The City has authorized shared electric scooters to return to Calgary this Friday May 22.

Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal have been operating bikeshare systems throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. These bikeshare systems have been very popular, provided a safe transportation option, and have not been connected to COVID-19 transmission cases. Calgary’s shared electric scooters operate in a similar fashion to bikeshare and have similar risks.

Shared electric scooter fleet numbers will be reduced for the first month of operation. Out of an abundance of caution, the City is limiting each company to operate up to 150 scooters (an 85% fleet reduction from last year) for a period of one month from May 22 to June 22, 2020, with the possibility of increased fleet size depending on whether scooter riders adhere to new public safety guidelines during COVID-19.

Shared e-scooters will not be cleaned after every use: when riding a shared scooter, each rider needs to follow the AHS safety guidelines including:

Washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before and after using a shared e-scooter. Use hand sanitizer if soap and water aren’t available.

Wipe down the shared scooter with a pre-moistened disinfectant wipe before and after use. Riders will need to bring their own wipes.

Avoiding touching of the face during use of a shared scooter

Observe all physical distancing guidelines when riding – maintain a two-meter distance between riders and avoid contact with others. Double-ridership on scooters is not allowed.

Be safe and slow down when passing others

The scooter operators (Lime and Bird) are planning to increase the frequency that scooters are cleaned, and will provide an in-app message outlining best safety practices for riding during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the coming weeks, we will also be testing new ways to mitigate public safety concerns while expanding access to safe, reliable and equitable mobility options for all Calgarians. These include:

Share & Go Parking Zones which are painted areas intended to be used as a go-to place to find an e-scooter or to end your ride. Located along pathways and bike lanes, these zones will be painted on the sidewalk or in select repurposed Car2Go microstalls. These zones can accommodate multiple scooters and will be painted in areas where there is high e-scooter use to encourage more considerate parking behavior. The zones will be installed in June and are paid for by the e-Scooter companies.

Slow Speed Zones for e-scooter riders in areas where there is a higher concentration of sidewalk users. The speed of the shared e-scooter will be automatically reduced to a maximum of 15 km/h, (down from a max. of 20 km/h). These low speed zones are located on 4th Street SW in Mission, 9th Avenue SE in Inglewood, and along 10th Street and Kensington Road in Kensington. Riders are asked to park outside these busy pedestrian areas and walk the rest of the way to their destination.

Last year, over 50% of shared electric scooter trips ended in a Business Improvement Area, showing that people are using the devices to largely access local business, which supports the local economy. As part of Alberta’s relaunch strategy, restaurants and retail stores are anticipated to open up next week and shared e-scooters can help with the recovery effort by providing access to safe and reliable mobility options that allow Calgarians to safely observe physical distancing guidelines while at the same time move around the city as they prepare to reopen next week. Scooter operators have also stated that they are prepared to provide additional scooters to enable free rides for health care and emergency workers.

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]]>banner,update,covidThu, 21 May 2020 15:33:32 -0600https://content.presspage.com/clients/150_1485.png?10000https://content.presspage.com/clients/150_1485.png?10000Temporary outdoor patios give businesses some extra space for physical distancinghttp://newsroom.calgary.ca/temporary-outdoor-patios-give-businesses-some-extra-space-for-physical-distancing/
http://newsroom.calgary.ca/temporary-outdoor-patios-give-businesses-some-extra-space-for-physical-distancing/Patio season in Calgary is a crowded affair. At this time of year, Calgarians flock to hotspots on Stephen Avenue and 17th Avenue to soak up the much-needed sun after a long winter. While there are many established patios in Calgary, there are also many local businesses who could use a bit of extra space.

“As we prepare for the Province’s opening date for Calgary, currently slated for Monday, May 25, Council has announced a new temporary permission for outdoor patios,” explains Sonya Sharp, leader, Business and Local Economy and chair of the Business Sector Support taskforce.

“A patio is a great option for a business looking to provide some additional space for both patrons and staff, to spread out in this time where physical distance is so important,” says Sharp. “The temporary space could be used for retail outlets, such as a sidewalk sale, or for restaurants who want more physical space to operate.”

When considering if a temporary patio will work for your location, John Bolger, manager, Roads, suggests evaluating if your site can still maintain pedestrian safety and accessibility. “Our temporary permission comes with conditions as well as acknowledging requirements from Alberta Health and Occupational Health and Safety.”

There is no fee for a temporary patio on public property such as a sidewalk. “Our goal is to help businesses get their patios up-and-running quickly, and we encourage businesses to call us to get the process started,” says Debra Hamilton, director, Community Planning.

If an operator wants to establish a patio on private property, they will need a development permit. However, once the permit is approved, the patio approval is permanent and does not need to be renewed.

Businesses looking to apply for a temporary outdoor patio can contact the Planning Services Centre at (403) 268-5311 open from 8 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. or speak to us over live chat at www.calgary.ca/livechat.

One of our most familiar landmarks for more than a century, Historic City Hall has stood alongside Calgarians throughout our greatest victories and our hardest challenges including the Spanish flu of 1918 and two World Wars.

As Calgary navigates COVID-19 together, we are working towards the completion of Historic City Hall’s heritage rehabilitation and we are pleased to announce we’ve reached a significant milestone.

We’re ‘unwrapping’ Historic City Hall

Historic City Hall has been completely under wraps since May 2017, when it was surrounded by a heavy-duty protective enclosure.

Our exterior work is nearing completion and we no longer require the enclosure. We’re beginning the process of ‘unwrapping’ Historic City Hall and Calgarians will soon be able to view the building for the first time in three years!

While Historic City Hall was undergoing heritage restoration, the wrap covered the construction crew, equipment and materials, and protected the sandstone and exposed building components from weather. It allowed us to work through every season regardless of extreme temperatures which was an important factor in meeting our project timelines.

What are we going to see?

One of the most defining features of the building is its sandstone exterior.

When construction began on Historic City Hall in 1907, more than a dozen sandstone quarries lay within our current city limits. Hundreds of public, residential and commercial buildings from the time boasted local sandstone, and Historic City Hall is a beautiful example of Calgary’s late Sandstone City era.

Of Historic City Hall’s 15,522 pieces of sandstone, 15,142 have received painstaking heritage treatment.

At the project outset, every stone on the building was individually mapped and prescribed a renewal regimen. The sandstone pieces were then rehabilitated one by one, with treatments including cleaning and structural fortification. Old sandstone that had deteriorated too greatly to be repaired was replaced with new sandstone. Approximately 2,400 new sandstone blocks were used.

“What Calgarians will see when Historic City Hall is unwrapped is a refreshed, rejuvenated version of the familiar landmark that has graced Calgary for more than a century,” says Darrel Bell, acting director of Facility Management. “The work we’ve done on the sandstone over the last three years has been a labour of love and has restored our sandstone to a condition set to last for another hundred years.”

Weathering…how sandstone tells a story

Calgary, Paris and Glasgow all have something in common: our heritage buildings all bear the mark of our unique pasts.

For instance, Glasgow’s centuries-old sandstone buildings have a patina that comes from the coal burning that took place every day over hundreds of years. Many of Paris’s limestone buildings wear damage from wars, or more ordinary things like damage from lack of maintenance or incompatible repair materials. Here in Calgary, Historic City Hall’s sandstone has been weathered by our harsh Prairie winters and sunlit summers.

How will the building’s new sandstone look alongside the stone that has acclimated for more than a century?

For the most part, we won’t notice a big difference.

Replacement sandstone was very carefully selected to be visually and materially compatible with the original sandstone’s physical and chemical properties, composition, grain size, and colour.

Because sandstone is a natural commodity that is formed in the earth, it is full of character and can be found in a wide variety of colours including green, tan, red, pink and black. The project team worked diligently to place new stone in areas where its colour and appearance blended as seamlessly as possible with hundred-year-old stone.

Slight colour variations in the sandstone will exist on the building, just as it does in nature. While some new sandstone will initially look lighter in colour than existing stone, it will weather over time.

“When we’re looking at a beach from the distance, the expanse of sand looks like one colour,” explains Bell. “However, when we scoop up a handful of that sand and look at it very closely, we can see that the grains are actually a wide range of colours and textures. We can think of Historic City Hall the same way: from a distance, the building will look the same uniform tan. However, when you view the building up close, you’ll notice that each sandstone block has its own subtle range of rich colour variations that are inherent to sandstone.”

What’s next?

The removal of the protective enclosure and scaffolding beneath it will be complete by the end of June.

We are working towards welcoming back Historic City Hall’s tenants at a time appropriate to the current pandemic. We’re excited to reintroduce this treasured heritage building in its revitalized condition, ready to stand for another century.

The City of Calgary would like to remind citizens that we remain in a State of Local Emergency. This is to support the Government of Alberta’s efforts to combat the spread of COVID-19. The City of Calgary, in collaboration with social agencies, the business community, civic partners and citizens is taking immediate action to respond to COVID-19.

Please see below for the latest updates

Calgary Community Standards Weekend Patrols

Bylaw investigated reports of social distancing violations for groups of under 50 people; with Calgary Police Service attending for groups larger than 50 people. 77 incidents were related to concerns about folks not following the public health order, including physical distancing and playground use when closed.

City of Calgary bylaw officers conducted 279 visible patrols this weekend. Peace Officers experienced high levels of cooperation and compliance from the public in parks and public spaces this long weekend.

Skate boarders were abiding by the public health orders in our skate parks this weekend, and we thank you for that. Where we are continuing to see issues is with spectators at skate parks failing to physically distance. In addition, small children have been seen using the skateparks as playgrounds. We ask parents to please help us in keeping our skateparks for skateboarders only.

Over this past weekend, there were no tickets handed out for Public Health Act violations. However, 135 warnings were issued to citizens. Five tickets were handed out for drinking alcohol in the park.

CEMA Chief Tom Sampson says “For the most part, we saw very good compliance with people trying to stay as safe as possible but still enjoy the weekend. However, there is always room for improvement. We can’t let up on that physical distance of 2 metres; even with a slight relaxation on outdoor gatherings, that 2 metres is not optional.”

Joint Business Inspection Task Force

This past weekend, the Joint Business Inspection Task Force received 43 calls from the public related to COVID. This brings the total number of business (COVID) complaints to 719 since the SOLE was announced in mid-March.

107 businesses investigated were in compliance with the Public Health Act order. However, the task force found 13 locations not adhering to physical distancing and each were issued a warning.

Two violation tickets were issued; both were massage businesses operating when they should not be. Fines were issued under the Business Licence Bylaw for $1,000 each.

Businesses found operating in contravention of the Public Health Act could face multiple fines, suspension or revocation of their business licence (coupled with charges under the Public Health Act).

Citizens are encouraged to report complaints so that our officers may quickly investigate.

Opening of Plus 15s

Opening Plus 15s between buildings will be based on when the business within those buildings open.

Buildings on both ends have to agree to the Plus 15 between them opening – so it’s not possible to open the whole network all at once. Plus 15s will open intermittently as the buildings and businesses open and agree to open their connected Plus 15s.

No building owners have asked us to reopen their Plus 15 yet. Some of the businesses have expressed interest in seeing them open. Business owners interested in seeing Plus 15s open are asked to connect with their building owners – who then work with us at The City to reopen them.

On Thursday May 14, The City opened some of its golf courses: both courses at Shaganappi Point, Maple Ridge and the 18-hole course at McCall Lake Golf Course.

“We’ve been pleased to hear from golf staff that golfers are very happy to be out on the courses and adjusting to the new safety guidelines,” says CEMA Chief Tom Sampson. “We did not have any reported issues with patrons complying with the COVID rules over the long weekend, which was great to see.”

As of Tuesday morning, 4,198 people have played golf at a City-owned course since opening on May 14, and a total of 5,883 have registered to be able to book tee times this summer.

The City will open other courses based on our ability to ensure health and safety.

Blue Cart update

Due to the outbreak of COVID-19 at the Cascades Recovery sorting facility, the company temporarily suspended receiving recyclable materials from The City last week. That meant that all recycling picked up since last Wednesday was taken to the landfill.

Cascades worked closely with Alberta Health Services and Occupational Health and Safety in order to take all steps necessary to keep its employees and their families safe. This included testing of employees and an extensive, deep clean at the facility.

While they will begin accepting materials from The City of Calgary again, sorting will not be at full capacity. The facility will receive as much material as they are able to process with the staff currently available.

The City will continue to collect blue carts this week. Some materials will be sorted at the Cascades facility, but as they cannot run at full capacity, some material may need to be landfilled. This also affects community recycling depot locations.

If you have room in your blue cart, you can choose to save your recyclables for a later pickup.

Youth Employment Centre now open

The Youth Employment Centre had to close its doors in mid-March due to COVID-19. And the pandemic also cancelled this year’s Youth Hiring Fair that was scheduled for early April.

In the interim, staff have been working from home, answering calls from youth who are looking for work. They still help youth look for jobs, apply for them, and help them prepare for the interview.

260 new clients have registered for YEC services during COVID. The demand for YEC’s services remains steady among youth ages 15-24 who are looking for assistance in entering the workforce despite COVID.

Employers continue to reach out at pre-COVID levels for assistance in recruiting young people.

YEC has made 125 client referrals to partnering employers in the month of May.

YEC has consulted with clients over 3500 times since COVID (this would include follow-up appointments, check-ins), etc. This number encompasses both new and active client files since COVID.

Yesterday, The City reached an important milestone. It was 15 years ago that The City of Calgary launched its 311 Operation Centre on May 18, 2005. Calgary was the first municipality in Canada to do so. Since that time, 311 staff have been on call 24/7 – 365 days a year to initiate requests for City services and answer questions. 311 has answered more than 16 million calls from Calgarians since its inception

]]>banner,City NewsTue, 19 May 2020 15:16:00 -0600https://content.presspage.com/clients/150_1485.png?10000https://content.presspage.com/clients/150_1485.png?10000311 Celebrates 15 Years of Citizen Serviceshttp://newsroom.calgary.ca/311-celebrates-15-years-of-citizen-services/
http://newsroom.calgary.ca/311-celebrates-15-years-of-citizen-services/Today is a special day for The City of Calgary as 311 celebrates 15 years of providing citizen services. It was 15 years ago that The City launched its leading edge 311 Operation Centre on May 18, 2005 – the first municipality in Canada to do so.

Since that time, 311 staff have proudly responded to more than 16 million calls from Calgarians requesting information and services 24/7 – 365 days a year. There is always a live person available to have a conversation, or a choice of connecting through the web or mobile app.

The 311 Operations Centre has also been instrumental supporting Citizens during natural disasters including the 100-year flood, fires, snow storms, wind storms and now even a pandemic. This year, since March 6, 311 has received 16,799 COVID-19 calls and 11,041 CFD – Fire Truck Birthday booking requests.

The 311 Operation Centre makes it easy for Citizens to get information, answers to questions, or request service work. Before the launch of 311, The City had more than 500 numbers that were published in the phone book - it was up to citizens to determine which number to call for help, and callers were often rerouted many times before reaching the right person.

The 311 Operations Centre is now the primary customer service touchpoint with Citizens, and through it, 311 staff process service work and dispatch the work to crews throughout the city. When a Citizen calls 311, the request is entered into a database which determines the appropriate work crew to action the request. The work is dispatched through the system immediately after the Citizen hangs up with 311 to work crews in the field through mobile devices, which creates savings on gas, mileage and staff hours.

Clarke Bellamy, Manager of the 311 Operations Centre says says 311 is more than just a phone number.

"You can have a live conversation with a 311 agent any time of day or night," said Bellamy. "We have also placed our high-volume service requests online and have introduced a 311 Calgary App for Citizens to report concerns directly from their Android and iPhone devices, where they can take photos of the concern and track the service request to conclusion.” More recently, 311 data has been posted on live maps on Calgary.ca so citizens can see service requests in near real time along with status updates.

“City employees both past and present have helped shaped 311 into what it is today. I count myself lucky to have been a part of this launch from Day One and have seen the commitment of many City employees to continually evolve and enhance 311 services to meet the needs of our Citizens. Our strength is in our 311 team and our extended family across The Corporation who both support us and respond to citizens to deliver the quality service they expect. I am very proud to work with an amazing team of public servants at The City,” said Bellamy.

Paul Taylor, Acting Director of Customer Service and Communications proudly says: “All these initiatives have won awards from the province and we have even received international recognition for excellence in North America."

Calgarians have clearly embraced 311 - as reflected through The City’s Annual Citizen Satisfaction survey where 93 per cent of citizens indicate they are satisfied with the service.

Through wind, rain, snow, flood, fire and even a pandemic, 311 has been there for Calgarians and continues to take pride in providing citizen services.

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]]>feature,banner,311,citizen services,call centre,anniversaryTue, 19 May 2020 11:33:33 -0600https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1485/500_311operator.jpg?10000https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1485/311operator.jpg?10000City Services: Victoria Dayhttp://newsroom.calgary.ca/victoria-day/
http://newsroom.calgary.ca/victoria-day/The City of Calgary is under a State of Local Emergency (SOLE) and many of our facilities remain closed to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

“People gathered in groups of fewer than 15 people must continue to maintain a distance of two metres from one another,” said CEMA Chief Tom Sampson. “The weekend forecast looks great and getting together for a backyard barbecue seems tempting, but we need to continue to use caution to ensure the safety of everyone in our communities.”

Things to do:

Golf courses opening

Select City-owned golf courses open today with new physical distancing rules in place. Golf courses will initially open at three locations with the highest demand: Shaganappi Point nine and 18 hole courses, McCall Lake 18 hole course and Maple Ridge 18 hole course. Additional courses may open at a later date. Please visit Calgary.ca/golf for our new online reservation system and information on restrictions and physical distancing protocols.

May 16-18: The Red Line will be closed between Sunnyside and Victoria Park/Stampede stations. The Blue Line will be closed between Shaganappi Point and Bridgeland/Memorial stations. Shuttles and buses will replace train service between stations. Visit calgarytransit.com/service-updates for more information and live updates.

May 18: we will provide a Sunday level of service. Check our schedules page to find out when your bus is running.

As May Long Weekend approaches, we want you to stay active, stay safe, and stay close to home. Calgary has over 900 km of pathway and more than 400 km of on-street bikeway for you to explore. Discover which are closest to where you live by visiting maps.calgary.ca. Here you’ll find our most up to date version of the Pathway and Bikeway map, which you can use to plan a route in your neighbourhood.

Our pathways and on-street bikeways are popular places to walk and wheel, and we expect them to be busy this weekend! Be sure to walk and wheel with care; remember to slow down when passing and give each other at least two metres of space.

It’s Canada Road Safety Week! Which is a great reminder to move together safely on our city streets. If you’re out driving this weekend, keep in mind there are more kids out and about, learning how to ride their bikes, skateboards and scooters. Keep an eye out for them especially at intersections, alleys and driveways, where they may be harder to see. For more information on how to move together safely, visit Calgary.ca/safepassing.

Beginning Saturday, May 16 there will be a temporary traffic shift to the north lanes of Airport Trail. Two lanes of traffic will be maintained in each direction at all times, together with left turn lanes. This traffic shift will be in place for approximately one month, and will be accompanied by speed reductions to 50 km/hr in this area.

Street Sweeping Update

Our Street Sweeping will not include holiday days this year, so there will not be any residential sweeping done on Victoria Day. That being said, we encourage everyone to visit Calgary.ca/sweep and sign up for a street sweeping notification to ensure they are aware when their vehicles need to be moved for our sweepers. Sweepers operate Monday through Friday, from 8 am to 4 pm. Tickets will be issued by Calgary Parking Authority through the mail.

If you were unable to move your vehicle during sweeping, you can still avoid the fine. Citizens who have received a ticket for street sweeping are encouraged to sweep up their material into a double bag and place it into the black bin for collection. Take a photo and then submit an appeal on your ticket by visiting calgaryparking.com and start the administrative review/appeal process.

Calgary Parking Authority

Payment is not required for on-street ParkPlus zones on Monday, May 18 for Victoria Day. Holiday rates will be in effect at select CPA surface lots and at the City Centre Parkade (340 – 10 Ave SW/221 9 Ave SW). All other parkades are accessible to monthly contract parkers only in support of COVID-19 measures.

The Impound Lot will be open from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 16 and Sunday, May 17 and closed on Monday, May 18.

Around the house:Cart collection

Reminder that weekly green cart collection will resume the week of May 19. Please visit Calgary.ca/collection to check your collection schedule and sign up for reminders by email, text message, telephone or download the Calgary Garbage Day app.

If you are needing to make a trip to the landfill during this holiday weekend, please keep the following in mind:

Wait times may be longer due to increased traffic and safety protocols in place due to COVID-19.

Practice physical distancing and keep at least 2 metres from others at all times. This includes interacting with City staff and unloading your waste.

Cash payment is currently not being accepted, credit or debit payment only.

Try visiting landfills Tuesday to Friday when traffic volumes tend to be less.

Residents can bring yard waste to a City landfill for free composting until May 30. Regular landfill fees will apply if brought with garbage, food scraps and sod. More information is available at Calgary.ca/yardwaste.

Facility closures:*Note many of our facilities remain closed in response to orders set out by the Alberta Emergency Management Act, but some essential services including the Animal Services Centre are adjusting their hours of operation over the holiday weekend. Please visit calgary.ca/covid19 or contact 311 for the latest information on revised hours and procedures to access City services.

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]]>city news,bannerThu, 14 May 2020 17:08:02 -0600https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1485/500_2019-xxxx-mccalllakegolfcoursesummershoot-3954-84179.jpg?10000https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1485/2019-xxxx-mccalllakegolfcoursesummershoot-3954-84179.jpg?10000City of Calgary update on response to COVID-19 – May 14, 2020http://newsroom.calgary.ca/city-of-calgary-update-on-response-to-covid-19--may-14-2020/
http://newsroom.calgary.ca/city-of-calgary-update-on-response-to-covid-19--may-14-2020/The City of Calgary would like to remind citizens that we remain in a State of Local Emergency. This is to support the Province of Alberta’s efforts to combat the spread of COVID-19. The City of Calgary, in collaboration with social agencies, the business community, civic partners and citizens, is taking immediate action to respond to COVID-19.

Please see below for the latest updates

City’s reaction to Provincial reopening plan changes

As part of phase one of The Province of Alberta’s relaunch strategy, several businesses opened today in Calgary including retail stores, clothing, furniture and books stores, farmer's markets, some City golf courses, museums and art galleries and daycares.

The Province, however, announced that due to the high numbers of COVID-19 cases in Calgary, restaurants, bars, hair salons and places of worship won't reopen until May 25, more than a week later than expected.

Mayor Naheed Nenshi says, while he sympathizes with the businesses that were “ready to go,” he believes The Province made the right decision to protect public health.

“I want to remind people how serious this is. Calgarians have lost their lives – that is something we should never forget. But I understand that this has been a tough week for a lot of people,” he said, adding the most important thing we can do right now is to be kind.

“This includes supporting those businesses, especially restaurants that were expecting to open and now have excess food, he says, “So, I am going to ask you to eat a lot this weekend. Order in. Pick up. And let’s help these businesses out.”

Visiting newly opened businesses

With many businesses reopening under very different circumstances, The City is asking Calgarians to follow a few simple requests before heading out:

Inform yourself – The Province has released the guidelines on the Alberta Biz Connect website for different businesses and it is important that customers understand them too. Please read up on the rules and regulations for each business before visiting them.

Prepare yourself - Have masks and gloves handy just in case and bring your own hand sanitizer

“And most importantly, pack your patience. Many of these workers are probably feeling a little uneasy – they want to stay safe and want you, their customers, to stay safe too,” says CEMA Chief Tom Sampson. “Some will require facemasks, or gloves or have very strict capacity rules

If you don’t understand something, ask questions – don’t get upset.”

Some City golf courses open today

Today, The City’s Shaganappi Point, Maple Ridge and the 18-hole course at McCall Lake Golf Course opened after an exceptional response from eager golfers.

As of this morning, we had approximately 4,400 people book tee times and over 4,100 register for accounts which allow them to book tee times this summer.

“We are hearing the golfers are very happy to be out and all are complying with rules. So far, it has been a very positive experience for customers and our staff,” says Chief Sampson, adding, The City will open other courses based on “how these first openings go and our ability to ensure health and safety.”

To learn more about the restrictions and rules for City golf courses, visit Calgary.ca/golf

COVID impacts on The City’s blue cart program

Due to the outbreak of COVID-19 at the Cascades Recovery sorting facility, the company has temporarily suspended receiving recyclable materials from The City.

This means temporary impacts on The City’s blue cart program and community recycling depots.

As of May 13, 19 employees from the Cascades sorting facility have tested positive for COVID-19. Cascades is working closely with Alberta Health Services and Occupational Health and Safety in order to take all steps necessary to keep its employees and their families safe. This includes testing of employees and an extensive, deep clean at the facility.

The City will continue to collect materials from blue carts and community recycling depots but we have no viable alternatives but to take those materials to landfill until the sorting facility resumes normal operations.

“If your blue cart is not full, you can choose to hold the materials until your next collection,” says Sampson.

The City is working with Cascades and we are hopeful normal operations will resume next week.

“That could change depending on how things unfold over the next few days. We ask for your patience in these difficult times as we try to keep employees safe and keep providing services for you and your neighbours,” he added.

The City will provide updates through Calgary.ca/bluecart, The City’s Garbage Day app and reminders, and through our social media.

Public Safety Taskforce

Starting today, the Public Safety taskforce will be out to investigate businesses across the city to ensure public health and safety orders are being followed.

As more Calgary businesses start to reopen this week (as part of Alberta’s relaunch strategy) Business Licensing is anticipating higher call volumes from concerned citizens.“We know people are anxious but we need to ask for your continued cooperation in following the public health orders, as it relates to Calgary. If you are a business owner, please familiarize yourself with the Government of Alberta relaunch to ensure you are following the directions appropriately and not opening earlier than you are permitted to,” says Sampson.

Calgarians can report any concerns regarding businesses or lack of physical distancing to 311 and a team will be dispatched immediately.

Long-weekend outdoor activities

With warmer weather expected, Calgary Community Standards have called in additional staff for the long-weekend.

Community Peace Officers and Parks Ambassadors will be patrolling popular outdoor locations that are expected to be busier than normal.

“Skate parks have been a particular challenge in obtaining compliance from citizens,” says Sampson, adding that people will receive tickets if they choose to not follow physical distancing rules.

“While we prefer to only use enforcement as a last resort, tickets will be issued for those not following the public health order,” says Sampson. “This is a tool we will use, that we may need to utilize more moving forward, if people continue to disregard the public health orders.”

In order to help maintain physical distancing, Calgarians are asked to avoid the following parks:

Sue Higgins Dog Park

Nose Hill Park

Eau Claire Promenade and Prince’s Island Park

Playgrounds remain closed

Yesterday, The Province announced that most Alberta playgrounds would be reopening but this does not include Calgary. Given the high-cases of COVID in Calgary, we feel these must stay closed in order to keep our kids safe.

Playgrounds are high-touch points with a limited ability to manage physical distancing and create gathering places for Calgarians outside family units.

“We want to reopen public infrastructure like playgrounds when it is safe to do so as we can appreciate that kids may be getting more antsy with the warmer weather. However, we ask you to respect these closures to protect your family and your community from the spread of COVID-19.”

New outdoor recreation rules

Today, The City announced some changes to the rules around sports training.

Sports training, dryland training and skills practice are now permitted if the following conditions are met:

Participants must not touch the same ball or other device with their hands.

A distance of at least 2 metres must be maintained between persons and appropriate measures must be taken to ensure no intentional or accidental physical contact between participants.

The gathering of more than 15 persons in a group in an outdoor location.

“The critical thing to remember is that no sports are permitted if you have to touch the same ball or equipment as others. And you must stay 6 feet apart unless you are from the same household,” added Mayor Nenshi.

One Day Soon Video

Joni Delaurier, a communications professional who works with the Calgary Emergency Management Agency (CEMA), has release a new music video celebrating Calgary’s spirit during the COVID-19 pandemic.

When words fail, music speaks. At least that’s what The City felt when it pooled its internal creative talents to give back to Calgarians for all they have done to limit the spread of COVID-19.

Joni Delaurier, a communications professional who works with the Calgary Emergency Management Agency (CEMA), also moonlights as an award-winning songwriter and accomplished singer on the country/roots music scene. In addition to writing top-40 hits (such as “Pickup Truck”, sung by Shane Yellowbird which she co-wrote with her husband Troy Kokol), Joni has previously been nominated for ‘Single of the Year’ at the Canadian Country Music Awards, SOCAN’s ‘Video of the Year’ and ‘Songwriter of the Year.'

On her first days off after the initial State of Local Emergency, Joni found herself - guitar in hand - reflecting on the things we’re all missing out on and have previously taken for granted. “I wanted to write something that would cheer me up, to remind my friends that one day we will get back to normal,” she said. “We all need something a little less heavy to look forward to.”

She recorded it in her home studio and shared it with Chief Tom Sampson back in the office.

“When I first heard this song, it really struck me,” said Chief Tom Sampson with CEMA. “In the flurry of my day-to-day work, pausing for a couple of minutes and taking in the song and imagery, had me realize just how much we’ve all been missing out on since this all started. It wasn’t until that moment that I fully realized just how hard this has been on us all, and how much we’ve missed out on over the last few months.”

The creation of the video was very much a team effort, and the talented creative folks from The City’s Customer Service and Communications business unit played a big role. The opportunity to work on something a little lighter, fun and uplifting was also a highlight for the team.

Delaurier will post the song on streaming platforms and will donate any proceeds from streaming revenues to the United Way of Calgary’s COVID-19 Community Response fund, funds which will stay in Calgary for Calgarians.

Highlighting the many things we all can look forward to getting back to doing in Calgary, ‘One Day Soon’ captures Calgary’s incredible spirit, resilience, and community strength.

]]>feature,bannerThu, 14 May 2020 14:39:00 -0600https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1485/500_oneday.jpg?10000https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1485/oneday.jpg?10000City of Calgary update on response to COVID-19 – May 7, 2020http://newsroom.calgary.ca/city-of-calgary-update-on-response-to-covid-19--may-7-2020/
http://newsroom.calgary.ca/city-of-calgary-update-on-response-to-covid-19--may-7-2020/The City of Calgary would like to remind citizens that we remain in a State of Local Emergency. This is to support the Province of Alberta’s efforts to combat the spread of COVID-19. The City of Calgary, in collaboration with social agencies, the business community, civic partners and citizens, is taking immediate action to respond to COVID-19.

Please see below for the latest updates

Calgary Transit impacts

The COVID-19 pandemic has had significant impacts on Calgary Transit’s revenue and ridership. We are forced to make the difficult decision of making a significant cut to our current service levels. As of May 25, 2020, we will be reducing Calgary Transit Service hours by 30 per cent from the March 2020 levels.

To make the necessary cuts in service, the entire transit system has been evaluated to ensure we are still able to provide meaningful service to the many Calgarians that rely on us to get to important places like work, the grocery store and medical appointments. These changes will ensure coverage across our city, but there will inevitably be some negative impacts to the customer experience. The upcoming reductions will include:

• Temporarily removing 25 routes

• Reducing the frequency of 30 routes during the weekday

• Reducing the frequency of 19 routes on the weekend

Information about these service changes will be communicated to our customers via our website, service alerts on the Calgary Transit app and on social media.

Unfortunately, these changes will result in impacts to the employment of approximately 430 employees.

Weekend activities

Public safety and enforcement of the Public Health Act are our top priority for the weekend. Calgarians are reminded that Public Health Orders requiring 2 meters of physical distance and no gatherings over 15 people are still in place.

Bylaw officers will be patrolling and will be focused on education and providing verbal warnings to those who are not following public health orders or city bylaws, with ticketing reserved for significant violations.

“We know there are some key areas in the city that we continue to see large crowds, busy parking lots and challenges with maintaining physical distance,” says Deputy Chief of the Calgary Emergency Management Agency, Sue Henry. “In some cases we have been able to mitigate that by opening road space to pedestrians and cyclists or closing roads altogether. But in some areas those options are not possible.”

In order to help maintain physical distancing, Calgarians are asked to avoid the following parks:

Sue Higgins Dog Park

Nose Hill Park

Eau Claire Promenade and Prince’s Island Park

In addition to these areas, Calgarians are also asked to be mindful of maintaining safe distancing in all skateparks, and to take turns sharing the space with other users. Ambassadors are visiting skateparks to reinforce physical distancing messaging and support safer use of parks during COVID-19.

“Education is our priority but we will move to enforcement and $1,200 tickets if we don’t see safe behaviours,” says Deputy Chief of the Calgary Emergency Management Agency Sue Henry. “If you get out, spread out. Practice physical distancing, to stay safe and help us keep your parks open.”

Price gouging

The City of Calgary, alongside the Government of Alberta, has taken action against an unlicensed business in Calgary allegedly selling masks and hand sanitizer exceeding normal selling price.

Officers from Business Licensing and Service Alberta’s Consumer Investigation Unit conducted a joint operation, after several complaints were received.

In mid-April Service Alberta served a cease letter to the owner and Business Licensing issued a written warning to the same individual as they were operating without a city business license. Later in April, officers returned to the business to find that nothing had changed.

In May, The City issued a violation ticket under the Business License Bylaw ($1,000) for operating without a license. Investigators from Service Alberta also issued a summons to the owner for contravening the previously issued order for price gouging.

“The vast majority of Calgary businesses are selling products at fair market value and helping to support the community through this pandemic,” says Deputy Chief of the Calgary Emergency Management Agency, Sue Henry. “Thanks to the public, and working alongside our partners, we were able to hold this particular business to account.”

Starting this week, Calgarians will start to see blue, green and orange ribbon decals on City-owned vehicles.

As part of the Commemorative Ribbon Campaign, The City has received a donation of 5,000 brightly coloured ‘Thank You’ ribbon decals from local Calgary businesses to publicly recognize Calgary’s frontline workers and essential services staff. Last week, City Council approved the installation of these ribbons on all City vehicles.

“Although we can say thank you on the Council floor, we need a public, noticeable way to express our deepest gratitude to the individuals working on the front line and providing Calgarians with the essential services necessary to the well-being of Calgary,” says Ward 12 Councillor Shane Keating. “Many of these people are our colleagues at The City; they supply us with clean water, fix our roads, provide our utilities, ensure our homes are working properly, and keep store shelves stocked.”

“The ribbons placed on our City fleet are an excellent reminder and ‘thank-you’ to front-line workers for the work they do,” says Ward 6 Councillor Jeff Davison. “Whether they are a health care professional, emergency responder, water service provider, road crew, or grocery store clerk, let these ribbons serve as a visual representation of our thanks.”

From transit buses to garbage trucks, from police cruisers to maintenance vehicles, these donated ribbon decals will be on display from now until July 31, 2021.

“These decals are a reminder that, in this community, we have each other’s backs,” said Mayor Naheed Nenshi. “The frontline and essential workers continue to be there for us and displaying these decals proudly on City vehicles is one small way we can show our gratitude. A huge thank you to Can West Legacy for donating the decals.”

The City is proud to support the Commemorative Ribbon Campaign in recognition of Calgary’s frontline and essential workers. For more information, or to purchase a ribbon by donation, visit canwestlegacy.com.

The City of Calgary would like to remind citizens that we remain in a State of Local Emergency. This is to support the Province of Alberta’s efforts to combat the spread of COVID-19. The City of Calgary, in collaboration with social agencies, the business community, civic partners and citizens, is taking immediate action to respond to COVID-19.

Please see below for the latest updates

City Golf Courses to Re-open

The City of Calgary is opening select City-owned golf courses on May 14 with physical distancing rules in place following the provincial government’s decision on the safely staged COVID-19 relaunch. Online bookings will begin on May 11.

"The City will be opening of golf courses on May 14 with practices in place for physical distancing to protect the health and safety of both golfers and employees,” said Mayor Naheed Nenshi. “The rules for physical distancing will be strongly enforced and will be shared on Calgary.ca and on golf course signage, and golfers must follow those rules. We’re looking forward to a safe and successful golf season.”

This is great news for golfers and the staff members who will be employed for the 2020 season. The first courses to open will be those with the highest customer demand: both courses at Shaganappi Point, Maple Ridge and the 18-hole course at McCall Lake Golf Course. We will open other courses based on our ability to ensure health and safety.

Some services are not available or are restricted at this time, including:

Driving ranges, practice areas and putting greens will remain closed;

All lesson services are also suspended until further notice;

Club rentals are not available;

Clubhouse washrooms are limited to one person at a time and washrooms on course are not available; and

Power carts must be used by one individual only, unless being shared by members of the same household.

Tournaments, leagues and group bookings are suspended until further notice.

The exact details on the physical distancing rules will be communicated early next week and will be included on Calgary.ca and on-site signage. While all the details are being finalized, here are some examples of the rules that will be in place:

Only golfers with a pre-booked tee time can access the golf courses. Walk-on play will not be available.

Follow all signs and instructions while at the golf course.

Surfaces, touch points, doors, carts and washrooms will be cleaned and disinfected frequently Plexiglass barriers will be in place at point of sale locations.

Employees will be provided with appropriate protective equipment suited to the work they are performing.

Physical distancing of 6 feet (2m) is required and will be strictly enforced. Players will not be allowed to loiter before or after their round.

Golfers should arrive at the course no earlier than 15 minutes before their reserved tee time.

Golfers will be asked not to shake hands or high five with others in their group

After play, golfers should return rentals to designated area and proceed directly to your vehicle and travel safely home.

Golf information will be updated on Calgary.ca starting next week. Golfers are encouraged to create their user profile for the on-line booking system.

Weekend Enforcement

With the Provincial Public Health Order still in place and beautiful weather outside, it was a busy weekend for bylaw officers.

“Safety was still our top priority over the weekend,” says Deputy Chief Sue Henry. “The Public Health Orders requiring no gatherings over 15 and maintaining two metres of physical distance were still in place.”

Over the weekend, roughly 16% of all calls to 311 were COVID-related.

128 calls were related to concerns about Calgarians not following the public health order.

59 related to physical distancing in public areas

26 Physical distancing in yards/private areas

22 Public gatherings of less than 14 people

21 Physical distancing in playgrounds/playfields

City Community Peace Officers conducted 189 visible patrols this past weekend, engaging with more than 2,200 Citizens.

“Our Bylaw officers work very hard to educate and/or provide verbal warnings to folks who are not following public health orders or city bylaws,” says Deputy Chief Sue Henry. “Our position since the beginning of this emergency was to educate first to encourage appropriate behavior and only issue tickets in the most egregious circumstances.”

Unfortunately, over this past weekend, there were:

Three tickets handed out (one for not physical distancing; one for consumption of cannabis in public; one for parks and pathways bylaw)

There were 83 warnings issued to citizens for not physically distancing

Other warnings issued over the weekend included:

32 verbal warnings over the three days related to open liquor and public alcohol consumption.

Business Licence services also received 40 new calls over the weekend, bringing the total number of business (COVID) complaints to 625 since the State of Local Emergency was announced in mid-March.

Calgary Police has issued 27 Public Health Act summonses since April 1, 2020.

The City urges Calgarians to continue to follow the public health orders to maintain physical distance and not gather in groups over 15 until that order is lifted by the Province of Alberta.

COVID-19 thank you ribbons on City-owned vehicles

Last week, Council approved the application of a COVID-19 ‘Thank You’ ribbon decals on City-owned vehicles to honour all of Calgary's front-line workers and essential service staff. The City has received a donation of 5,000 brightly coloured ‘Thank You’ ribbon decals from local Calgary businesses.

This week Calgarians will start to see the ribbon decals on Calgary Police units, Calgary Fire Department trucks, Calgary Transit buses and C-Train cars, Waste and Recycling trucks, and other City-owned service vehicles. The City is not printing or selling ribbon decals. However, any organizations or individuals looking to acquire their own ribbon decals can contact Can West Legacy by visiting canwestlegacy.com.

Emergency Preparedness Week

This week is Emergency Preparedness Week and there is no better time than the present, especially during a pandemic to take action to be better prepared for all emergencies.

In Calgary, we are still at risk for seasonal hazards that come with severe summer weather like flooding, hail, tornadoes, thunder and lightning, wildfires, and storms with high winds. It is critical that people do their part to be prepared to limit the demand on frontline responders and services.

"Being prepared with a plan and resources for your household will reduce the need to rely on municipal resources that are critical to responding to the COVID-19 pandemic," says Deputy Chief Sue Henry. "To help you and your family learn what the risks are for Calgarians, this week we’ll be posting information on our social media channels and we encourage to explore our website to learn the risks, and be prepared."

Emergencies can happen anytime, anywhere. Go to Calgary.ca/getready to learn the basic actions you can take [LJ1] to prepare and protect yourself, your family and your home.

More prepared than ever. City of Calgary ready as flood readiness program kicks off

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, preparations are complete and 24/7 river monitoring is underway as Calgary readies for this year’s flood season.

Sandra Davis, Team Lead of River Engineering, says that after a winter that saw above average snowfall in the mountains, The City is monitoring the snow melt and keeping a close eye on the forecast using updated modelling.

“While snowpack is a contributor to river flooding, heavy rainfall events in May and June are the bigger driver of flooding,” explains Davis. “The good news is Calgary is better prepared than 2013.”

Over the last seven years, key investments in flood mitigation have made a difference and reduced Calgary’s flood risk by approximately half. One of the most significant advancements has been the installation of higher gates at the Glenmore Dam completed in time for this year’s flood season.

This $82 million investment in Calgary’s water infrastructure saw the installation of 2 ½ metre high steel gates, which doubles the storage capacity of the Glenmore Reservoir. This improvement allows The City to control both small and moderate flooding along the Elbow River – up to a one-in-30-year flood. It also increases the amount of water we can store for the summer and winter months when the flows on the Elbow River slow. It’s an important step forward, and with the Government of Alberta’s completion of the Springbank Reservoir, communities along the Elbow will be fully protected from a 2013-level flood.

In addition to the Glenmore Dam gates, six permanent flood barriers are currently in place across Calgary, including:

Heritage Drive

West Eau Claire

Deane House

Inglewood

Centre Street Lower Deck

Calgary Zoo

Over the next year construction will begin on the Eau Claire (Downtown) and Sunnyside flood barriers.

“The COVID-19 pandemic in combination with the flood season is a stressful time for many Calgarians,” says Davis. “The risk of flooding in Calgary can’t be eliminated and floods can happen quickly; being prepared is one way that residents can help ease the stress.”

Actions that Calgarians can take to prepare for river flooding and protect their property include:

Understand. Check our City flood maps to know if your home and community is at risk of river flooding.

Prepare. Take precautions to prepare your family and your property, which include reviewing your emergency plan and considering where you might stay in the event of an evacuation.

Stay informed. Visit calgary.ca/floodinfo for resources including links to the Alberta Environment and Park’s river basin website or their downloadable app to find out current river flows, forecasts and advisories.

The City has information available to help Calgarians prepare. Citizens can learn more at calgary.ca/floodinfo

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[LJ1]Link to https://www.calgary.ca/CSPS/cema/Pages/COVID-19-household-emergency-plan.aspx

]]>banner,City NewsTue, 05 May 2020 15:43:00 -0600https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1485/500_stickerpicture-2.jpg?10000https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1485/stickerpicture-2.jpg?10000City of Calgary update on response to COVID-19 – May 1, 2020http://newsroom.calgary.ca/city-of-calgary-update-on-response-to-covid-19--may-1-2020/
http://newsroom.calgary.ca/city-of-calgary-update-on-response-to-covid-19--may-1-2020/The City of Calgary would like to remind citizens that we remain in a State of Local Emergency. This is to support the Province of Alberta’s efforts to combat the spread of COVID-19. The City of Calgary, in collaboration with social agencies, the business community, civic partners and citizens, is taking immediate action to respond to COVID-19.

Please see below for the latest updates

The City of Calgary is reviewing the Government of Alberta's relaunch strategy, and working through an approach that will protect public safety.

“It is great to hear the Province’s plans laid out, and I hope what Calgarians took away is that a phased approach only works if we keep flattening the curve,” says Deputy Chief Sue Henry. “We need to maintain the progress we’ve achieved so far with COVID-19, while at the same time continuing to take care of our mental and physical health and the state of economy.”

Given that the majority (67 per cent) of Alberta’s cases are in Calgary, we are examining the Province’s plan carefully to ensure it fits our context.

“It’s wonderful that we’re starting to see some light in this tunnel, but we’re not there yet,” said Mayor Naheed Nenshi. “We have to stay vigilant, be on our most conscientious behaviour and work together so that re-opening can happen and we can begin our recovery.”

Sports and activities

“We have changed a lot of rules in our lives to respond to COVID-19, I am now challenging you to reimagine how you can change some of the rules of your favourite sports that are banned,” says Deputy Chief Sue Henry. “You need to maintain physical distancing and you need to avoid common touch areas.”

Playgrounds remain closed. Skate parks are reopened but users must maintain two metres minimum distance and avoid touching surfaces including benches and railings. No more than 15 people are allowed in the same location.

The following outdoor activities are still prohibited on sports fields, play fields and courts, whether they are on City property or private property: football, basketball, baseball, cricket, lacrosse, soccer, doubles tennis, doubles badminton, double pickleball, field hockey, ultimate Frisbee, lawn bowling, volleyball and other organized or team sport that requires players to touch a shared ball or device with their hands. However, that does not apply to members of the same household or family who engage in an organized or team sport.

Sports in which the rules can be modified so that players are not required to touch or handle the same ball or device are permitted, including golf, disc golf, singles tennis, singles badminton, singles pickle ball, singles kayaking, river surfing. Again, users must follow the restrictions and requirements imposed by the Provincial Chief Medical Officer of Health by maintaining a distance of two metres minimum from one another and no more than 15 people in a group can be gathered at the same location.

At this time, City of Calgary-operated golf courses remain closed, however, the public will be notified if and when there are plans to reopen.

Businesses reopening

The City of Calgary is working with the Government of Alberta to have further clarify around the regulations concerning businesses opening as soon as stage one of the relaunch strategy.

“I know Calgarians want to return to shopping and dining at the businesses they know and love,” says Mayor Naheed Nenshi. “Businesses share our goal of opening up again in the right way to ensure the health and safety of their employees and customers.”

Weekly green cart pick up returning soon

Weekly green cart will be starting again the week of May 19, just in time for some May long weekend yard work. Calgarians can see the updated green cart schedule online at calgary.ca/collection, and sign up to receive free reminders or download the app to be automatically notified of service updates. Calgarians are being asked to fill up their green cart first before setting out extra bags. If there are extra yard waste, fill up paper yard waste bags. Roll the tops of the bags closed so collectors are able to collect them safely.

COVID-19 thank you ribbons on City vehicles

On Monday, April 27, 2020, Calgary City Council approved the application of a COVID-19 Thank You Ribbon on City vehicles to honour Calgary's front line workers and essential service staff. These ribbons are currently in production, and Calgarians will see these ribbons soon on Calgary Police units, Calgary Fire Department trucks, Calgary Transit buses and C-train cars, Waste and Recycling refuse trucks, and other City vehicles.

Canada Task Force 2 assisting in Fort McMurray

Canada Task Force 2 is deploying a small delegation to Fort McMurray to assist with the flooding.

Street sweeping

Community street sweeping started earlier in April and will be running until the end of June, on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The City of Calgary would like to thank Calgarians for helping crews get the roads cleaned quickly by moving vehicles off the streets. Community schedules can be viewed online at calgary.ca/sweep.

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]]>City News,bannerFri, 01 May 2020 17:02:00 -0600https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1485/500_sue1-2.jpg?10000https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1485/sue1-2.jpg?10000City Council approves further supports for Calgary’s business communityhttp://newsroom.calgary.ca/city-council-approves-further-supports-for-calgarys-business-community/
http://newsroom.calgary.ca/city-council-approves-further-supports-for-calgarys-business-community/On April 30, City Council approved further support for businesses in Calgary as they navigate the challenges resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has hit local businesses hard with many having to close their doors in efforts to flatten the curve and slow down the rate of infection.

“Our businesses are the heart of our local economy, and their struggles have a profound impact on our city and communities,” said City Manager David Duckworth. “These relief measures keep dollars in the pockets of business owners and give additional flexibility for those looking to pivot or do things differently moving forward. We will continue to look at ways to help businesses make it through this pandemic.”

New supports for businesses will include:

A Small Business Support team available to support businesses pivoting their business model as they re-open. Further information on how businesses can access this service will be made public and shared out to the business community in the coming weeks.

Waiving of the business license renewal fee for one year to reduce the financial burden on businesses.

Six-month relief efforts effective May 1, 2020 including:

Waived Planning & Development fees for change of use and home occupation (class 2) development permits, residential certificates of compliance and pre-application fees, to support businesses adapting to COVID-19.

Deferred Planning & Development fees for commercial building permits, development permits, subdivisions, land use amendments, outline plans and road closures. 75% of payment will be deferred to final stages of approval, offering financial flexibility of better cash flow management through projects.

Fee simplification through elimination of the set up front deposit, simplifying by applying one common fee schedule rate to all outline plans and land use amendments, and applying the deferral relief above.

Extensions on development and building permits offered to ensure existing approvals will not expire while businesses deal with the impacts of COVID-19.

The expansion of the Centre City Enterprise Area to include all commercial properties through a pilot. This means a reduction in processes, barriers to entry and cost savings for businesses as they re-populate physical space. Analysis on the option to expand Centre City Enterprise Area development permit exemptions also includes a risk assessment and other considerations.

On March 16, Calgary City Council endorsed The City of Calgary’s COVID-19 strategy to help flatten the curve, continue service and support to citizens, communities and businesses during the pandemic and beyond. A major area of focus in this strategy includes supporting Calgary’s business sector through the creation of a Business Sector Support taskforce to advocate to the provincial and federal government on behalf of Calgary’s business community, and support businesses through the curation and sharing of helpful tools and resources from trusted sources.

“Right now, we are focused on what we can do in the short-term to support businesses while we continue to advocate for further relief and supports from other orders of government,” said Sonya Sharp, Chair of the Business Sector Support Task Force and Leader of the Business and Local Economy team. “We are working hard together with all our stakeholders and partners to make sure businesses can stay afloat and re-open when the time comes.”

Through the work of this task force, The City has made strides to aid businesses during this time including:

Advocating to provincial and federal government for relief on rent, which has recently come through from the Government of Alberta.

Promoting support of Calgary businesses through a joint campaign with civic partners and stakeholders under the hashtag #SupportLocalYYC.

Creation of an online hub for businesses that includes updates, resources and information to support businesses during COVID-19 at calgary.ca/covid-business.

Extension of building permits to keep businesses open for longer. This aids financial relief and supports removal of barriers to encourage land development.

To stay updated on the latest announcements, tools and resources available for businesses, visit calgary.ca/covid-business. Information about these latest supports will be made available on this site in the near future.

]]>feature,bannerThu, 30 Apr 2020 19:10:42 -0600https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1485/500_2019-xxxx-combackcalgaryadv-2136-3214-85527.jpg?10000https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1485/2019-xxxx-combackcalgaryadv-2136-3214-85527.jpg?10000Can you Commit to #3Things4Neighbours?http://newsroom.calgary.ca/can-you-commit-to-3things4neighbours/
http://newsroom.calgary.ca/can-you-commit-to-3things4neighbours/Usman Tahir Jutt is a business owner and philanthropist in Calgary, Alberta. He started the hashtag #3Things4Neighbours in March in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He’s asking Calgarians to commit to three simple acts of kindness to support their neighbours during these uncertain times.

“Albertans are no strangers to crisis,” says Usman “As we saw in Fort McMurray during the devastating wildfires and in Calgary during the awful floods, the communities banded together and people were empowered through simple acts of kindness to come together and help each other. I wanted to encourage Calgarians to do the same in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Usman says that choosing three things doesn’t have to be complicated. He tries to pick three things he can do for his community each week. This week, his three things are:

Reaching out to those who are particularly vulnerable, such as seniors, and asking how he can help.

Connecting with friends each time he goes to the grocery store to see if he can pickup anything on their behalf, and

Checking on those people in his network who he hasn’t connected with in a while.

The hashtag has already garnered significant attention in the YYC social media community. Local institutions like the Calgary Firefighters Association and several Community Associations have committed to the #3Things4Neighbours challenge. Usman’s hashtag is one of several community-led movements gaining popularity for spreading messages of positivity during the pandemic. Others include #albertacares, #supportlocalyyc and #yycHubs.

To join the challenge or to find examples of simple acts of kindness, Usman encourages Calgarians to search the hashtag #3Things4Neighbours or visit calgary.ca/helpingothers.

“The City’s got some great tools and resources on how to support your neighbours,” says Usman. “Start by choosing three things, then share them on social media, and encourage others to do the same. We’ve got to rally together to create a Calgary that we can all be proud of.”

]]>feature,bannerThu, 30 Apr 2020 10:24:00 -0600https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1485/500_nodocket-istock-640905870-67748.jpg?10000https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1485/nodocket-istock-640905870-67748.jpg?10000Urban Wildlife: Calgary Capturedhttp://newsroom.calgary.ca/urban-wildlife-calgary-captured/
http://newsroom.calgary.ca/urban-wildlife-calgary-captured/We’ve all been spending more time at home to help limit the spread of COVID-19. Calgarians have the privilege of enjoying a large variety of wildlife throughout the city. And thanks to technology and the Calgary Captured Zooniverse, you don’t even have to leave home to see all the wildlife in the parks.

Calgary Captured is a citywide citizen science program that has installed over 69 wildlife remote cameras in 17 parks across the city. So far, with the help of Calgarians, this program has catalogued over 200,000 images of wildlife in our city, and recently released 34,140 new photos.

Calgary captured is seeking help from all Calgarians to help identify wildlife.

Join the Conversation: be sure to click the #talk button on the last screen before you submit your observation to let us know if you found something really great!

“Calgary Captured began as a way to address an existing data gap and an opportunity for Calgarians to actively participate in helping The City gather more information on wildlife in our urban environment. People can view, classify and chat about images, enhancing their knowledge of biodiversity in Calgary, all while helping with a critical step in data processing,” Said Lynette Hiebert, Parks Ecologist with Calgary Parks.

Calgary Parks, along with its partners, use information from this monitoring program to make better decisions when planning parks and other City spaces, to understand where wildlife is in the city and to better understand and manage human/wildlife interactions.

The Calgary Captured program provides value in two broad ways; it generates much needed information about Calgary’s wildlife, and engages citizens to help with that process. It provides a cost-effective and collaborative (CC is a partnership) way to capture data about the wildlife, habitat and movement around our urban environment. And, it engages citizens in a participatory way through the Zooniverse platform. We often refer to this as citizen eco-literacy and participatory stewardship action.

The City of Calgary would like to remind citizens that we remain in a State of Local Emergency. This is to support the Province of Alberta’s efforts to combat the spread of COVID-19. The City of Calgary, in collaboration with social agencies, the business community, civic partners and citizens, is taking immediate action to respond to COVID-19.

Please see below for the latest updates.

Enforcement

With Spring here, Calgarians are taking advantage of the sunnier weather and spending more time outside. City of Calgary Parks’ ambassadors were out over the weekend educating citizens enjoying parks, paths and green spaces about safety requirements to adhere to and had lots of positive feedback to share.

Calgary Community Standard officers conducted 362 patrols since Friday and also noted improvements in physical distancing in busier park spaces. However, they reported issuing 140 warnings as well as:

three violation tickets of $1,200 to adults not following physical distancing requirements in Lindsay Park and refusing to separate;

three violation tickets of $400 to adults using a skatepark; and

three violation tickets of $120 to individuals for drinking in a public space.

“Giving out tickets is always a last resort. We need Calgarians to understand the seriousness of following the public health order by respecting physical distance requirements,” says Calgary Emergency Management Agency Deputy Chief Sue Henry. “It’s really up to you to do your part to stop the spread of COVID-19.”

Since Friday, there were 1,515 calls to 311 related to COVID-19 concerns and inquires. Of those, 338 calls were related to physical distancing concerns. Of this number, 311 dispatched 164 service requests to Bylaw Services including:

58 calls about physical distancing concerns in public spaces;

34 calls regarding concerns in private yards or areas;

38 calls regarding concerns around playground use; and

34 calls regarding public gatherings less than 14 people not practicing the requirements.

In addition, 31 concerns were dispatched to the Calgary Police Service regarding mass gatherings over 15 people and one violation ticket was issued under the Public Health Act.

Business Licence received 40 calls from citizens, bringing the total number of COVID-19 concerns to 560. Alberta Health Services, Business Licence, CPS, and AGLC followed up by inspecting several businesses. Two businesses were issued warnings.

We are continuing to conduct weekly inspections for the foreseeable future and non-essential business found operating in contravention of the public health order could face multiple fines, suspension or revocation of their business licence, in conjunction with charges under the Public Health Act.

If citizens have concerns to report, please call 311 or submit an online service request on calgary.ca.

Residents applaud Crescent Road closure

Last week, parking was restricted on the south side of Crescent Road to reduce traffic, litter and congestion in the community, and use of the McHugh Bluff Stairs. The City received positive feedback from residents regarding the road closure and increased Police and Peace Officer presence in the area.

Additional facility closures

Until further notice, disc golf courses are closed, including use of the equipment and infrastructure and organized sports such as tennis cannot be played. The green spaces are open for passive recreation such as walking.

The City will continue to look for ways to create safe outdoor areas to provide citizens with extra space to walk, bike and get outside. You can find a list of facility closures on calgary.ca/covid19.

Supporting businesses

Supporting local businesses is more important than ever. The COVID-19 pandemic has hit businesses in Calgary hard and The City knows many were already challenged from a tough economy. Recently, The City reached out to local companies Hippo Hug and Alberta Garment Manufacturers to source face coverings for our frontline City employees.

Alberta Garment Manufacturers had been supplying The City with coveralls in the past, and Hippo Hug had made materials for the Calgary Fire Department, when The City asked them to create face coverings for our employees. The City is grateful they were able to switch gears and rise to the challenge to make face coverings for employees to wear while they are out serving Calgarians.

You too can support local businesses while physical distancing.

Buy from local businesses online;

Purchase gift cards to use later;

Order delivery or takeout from local restaurants;

Leave positive reviews of businesses you love on social media; and

Spread the word about how businesses are shifting their services online.

Community street sweeping started earlier in April and will be running until the end of June, on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The City would like to thank citizens for helping our crews get the roads cleaned quickly by moving vehicles off the streets. View your community’s schedule at calgary.ca/sweep.

]]>City News,bannerTue, 28 Apr 2020 15:23:00 -0600https://content.presspage.com/clients/150_1485.png?10000https://content.presspage.com/clients/150_1485.png?10000Local businesses sewing up new venturehttp://newsroom.calgary.ca/local-businesses-sewing-up-new-venture/
http://newsroom.calgary.ca/local-businesses-sewing-up-new-venture/Businesses in Calgary are facing extraordinary challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. For some, the opportunity to transition has saved jobs in uncertain times.

Two local companies, Hippo Hug and Alberta Garment Manufacturers, have come forward to supply face coverings for frontline City of Calgary workers.

“We had a need for a significant quantity of these face coverings. What better option than to support local businesses in the process. They had the ability, we had the need, it was a made-in-Calgary solution,” said Deputy Chief Sue Henry of the Calgary Emergency Management Agency.

Alberta Garment Manufacturers has been supplying coveralls for City workers since 2016.

The specialty workwear company answered the City’s call for businesses to help source items like face coverings. Owner Adrian Bussoli says the company primarily caters to the oil and gas industry producing goods such as flame-resistant clothing, but production is down due to the current economy. The chance to adapt and begin manufacturing an entirely new product such as cloth face coverings is a natural opportunity for a business looking to shift focus, Bussoli said.

“It does protect and grow jobs - it’s not only stabilized but increased for us. We don’t look at it as one month or two months but closer to six to 12 months. It gives us the opportunity to develop our expertise in other areas. This situation allows us to become a more diverse company, we’re assessing the long-term changes that may occur… I think it’s going to have an impact on our product line for our customers and The City could conceivably become one of them.”

Helping keep a variety of front-line workers safe is a bonus, said Bussoli. “You do feel really good about it. You’re doing something that’s going to benefit people and the community, there’s no question about it. We’re local and we’ve got a relationship we want to develop and do the right things for our community.”

The opportunity to pivot and do something new could have a lasting effect on his business, said Bussoli. “Calgary has always been known as an oil and gas city, but Calgary has evolved over time, there’s an appreciation that’s growing for diversification. I don’t think anybody believed there is any apparel industry locally. This is an opportunity to show there’s a place for different things, from fashion to workwear. There’s now an awareness that there are companies that can do certain things that you can consider down the road.”

Another business, Hippo Hug, was already making custom-made material for Calgary Fire when The City reached out to owner Leslie Brooks to ask if she was game to make the shift to sewing fabric face coverings for Transit operators.

“I thought if I can make enough that I can keep everybody employed, great. We always joke if it requires fabric and a sewing machine, we can do it,” said Brooks, who has hired more workers to meet the demand and reconfigured her production floor to ensure staff are safely a minimum of two metres apart. “It’s been super positive, everybody we’ve interacted with has been awesome. I know for sure all of our costs are covered. Whether or not my business is making a profit is not really a concern for me -- really my goal was just keeping my staff employed,” said Brooks.

Brooks herself cranks out several masks a day, and with all workers sewing furiously, the company can supply up to 1,600 masks daily. The rewards include spotting their masks being worn on the job, says Brooks. “It’s fun to start to see our masks in the wild… it’s making a difference in someone’s life.”

The opportunity to plan for the future is an added comfort. “It will help us when we get back to making more than masks, we’ll be able to talk with people from The City and say 'What can we be creating that will help you do your jobs better?'” said Brooks. “When we make it through this as a community I hope that it really changes us in a good way… I think there’s the potential for everybody’s eyes to be opened up to what local can really do if given the opportunity.”

]]>feature,bannerTue, 28 Apr 2020 12:30:18 -0600https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1485/500_hippohug.jpg?10000https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1485/hippohug.jpg?10000City of Calgary update on response to COVID-19 – April 24, 2020http://newsroom.calgary.ca/city-of-calgary-update-on-response-to-covid-19--april-24-2020/
http://newsroom.calgary.ca/city-of-calgary-update-on-response-to-covid-19--april-24-2020/The City of Calgary would like to remind citizens that we remain in a State of Local Emergency. This is to support the Province of Alberta’s efforts to combat the spread of COVID-19. The City of Calgary, in collaboration with social agencies, the business community, civic partners and citizens, is taking immediate action to respond to COVID-19.

Please see below for the latest updates

City event cancellations extended:

All City of Calgary led and supported events set to take place through August 31 are now cancelled.

In addition, we are cancelling permits for third-party events that were set to be held on City land through August 31 which means those events cannot proceed.

Public safety and physical distancing is our top priority, and today’s decision reflects that.

The City will continue to reevaluate this decision and the August 31 date could be extended in consultation with the Province’s direction and Alberta’s’ ability to flatten the curve.

Festivals and events are estimated to contribute more than $600 M to the local economy per year. Calgary is a vibrant city renowned for our world-class festivals and events. When Calgarians can gather once again, we’ll work with event organizers to bring amazing events back to Calgary’s streets, parks and venues

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the need to physically distance, The City of Calgary is adapting its plans for Canada Day celebrations. Although Calgarians can’t celebrate together in the same location, we can still show our national pride.

The City is looking for ideas on how Calgarians would like to commemorate Canada’s 153rd birthday. We’re asking Calgarians to create a short video showing how you’ll be celebrating from your homes, balconies and yards. Will you do a painting and hang it in your window? Will you hang all your red and white clothes from your balconies? Share your ideas using hashtag #OCanadaYYC.

“Canada Day is by no means cancelled. In fact, during this time it’s more important than ever to lift each other’s spirits, demonstrate unity and celebrate this wonderful country,” says Jennifer Thompson, manager of Arts and Culture at The City of Calgary. “Our celebrations will however need to look much different than in years’ past. We’ve been working hard on some exciting alternatives for Calgarians.”

The City will continue work with local partners like the Calgary Stampede, Calgary Arts Development, CMLC and others to plan a memorable experience for Calgarians. Revised Canada Day celebration plans will be announced as details become available at Calgary.ca/CanadaDay.

Enforcement

Not only is The City of Calgary keeping an eye on physical distancing and social gatherings, but it has been responding to concerns about businesses operating inappropriately.

An example of inappropriate business activity was an instance of an individual who was selling hand sanitizer from the back of their vehicle. We need to remind Calgarians not buy hand sanitizer from strangers off the back of a truck. Health Canada regulates the manufacture of hand sanitizer and legitimate businesses have to adhere to strict health and safety regulations

If anyone has bought any hand sanitizer not sold by a reputable provider, please throw it away. We cannot guarantee what was used to make it and it could be toxic to the skin.

As of today, Business Licensing, has received approximately 500 public complaints through 311 in relation to COVID-19. Officers are working closely with AHS, CPS, Bylaw Services, Calgary Fire Department, Alberta Gaming and Liquor and Service Alberta to address the various concerns listed in those service requests.

To date, 134 written warnings have been issued to non-essential businesses related to COVID.

1 Business had their business licence suspended, along with a closure order by AHS – Health Inspectors.

1 violation ticket ($1000) issued for operating without a business licence.

1 violation ticket ($1000) issued to a business for providing a fake or altered business licence.

We see a lot of positive examples of compliance. However don’t put yourself in a situation where it is hard to maintain compliance with physical distancing – like in overused green spaces. And with more outside activity likely to happen this weekend, we will be:

increasing parking restrictions in some areas to reduce vehicle volume in residential areas

providing increased education to citizens through a new ambassador program

If the park or pathway you go to is busy, or the parking lot is full, leave and head to a less crowded area or location.

And while The City prefers to only use enforcement (ticketing) as a last resort, we expect that there will be an increase in ticketing for those who are not following the Public Health Order by respecting physical distance requirements when they leave their homes.

Yard work and community gardens

The City has launched some great tips online for respecting physical distancing while still working outdoors and enjoying outdoor spaces safely.

Currently, community gardens remain open for use for the 2020 growing season.

Each community garden group is responsible to create an action plan for managing physical and social distancing, as well as ensuring public health orders are followed.

Transit update and thank you

Right now, even with so many people staying home, Calgary Transit is seeing 100,000 customers a day using the transit system during the #COVID19 pandemic.

Transit is considered an essential service, and Calgarians may see some drivers wearing masks to keep others safe. But even if staff are covered up, they’re still here to serve citizens.

Here’s some of the things they had to say:

I take the 22 to and from work as an RN at the immunization clinic at the Sheldon Chumir every day. Couldn’t get there and do my job without you folks. Thank you for your hard work in this time. The schedule changes were communicated well and rolled out smoothly. The transit drivers are always lovely. Really, I couldn’t ask for more. Thank you!!! – Hilary

I'm a grocery store worker in the Sage Hill area but I live in the Bankview area. I have no vehicle. I NEED public transit to get to and from work everyday. If Calgary transit shut down during the pandemic, I could not get to work. I would take me 3 hours to walk to work. It would be detrimental for me if CT shut down. Thank you for running this survey. - Jason

Calgary Transit is looking for stories from users on why transit is important to Calgarians during the covid state of emergency. If you’re a transit user and have a story to tell, you can visit calgarytransit.com/yourstory

]]>banner,covid 19,pandemic,mayor,events,folkfest,cemaFri, 24 Apr 2020 16:03:46 -0600https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1485/500_canadadaydog.jpg?10000https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1485/canadadaydog.jpg?10000City of Calgary update on response to COVID-19http://newsroom.calgary.ca/april-22-covid-update/
http://newsroom.calgary.ca/april-22-covid-update/The City of Calgary would like to remind citizens that we remain in a State of Local Emergency. This is to support the Province of Alberta’s efforts to combat the spread of COVID-19. The City of Calgary, in collaboration with social agencies, the business community, civic partners and citizens, is taking immediate action to respond to COVID-19.

Please see below for the latest updates

Enforcement:

City of Calgary Community Standards officers are working to help Calgarians understand the importance of adhering to physical distancing, we are still out there talking to those who are too close together and educating them on the physical distancing requirements.

While The City prefers to only use enforcement (ticketing) as a last resort, we expect that we will be starting to issue tickets for those who are not following the public health order by respecting physical distance requirements when they leave their homes.

The fine for contravening the Public Health Order is $1200.

Calgary Parks and our Community Standards staff are proactively observing the usage of our high-use park areas (our off-leash areas and regional parks), so we can better manage our response to COVID-19 and ensure public awareness and safety.

Since last Friday, our officers conducted 241 patrols and engaged with over 1800 citizens providing them with education.

During that time 311 dispatched 152 service requests to Bylaw Services about physical social distancing concerns. These include:

26 concerns related to public gatherings with less than 14 people not practicing safe distancing (anything over 15 goes to CPS)

Over the same time frame, there were also 182 general inquiries received to 311 about social distancing requirements and recommendations.

Cancelled community clean ups

As the weather gets warmer Calgarians thoughts turn to spring cleaning and getting rid of unwanted items. The City of Calgary has unfortunately had to cancel the Community Clean-up events for 2020.

However, starting yesterday (Tuesday, April 21) residents are now able to leave out extra bags of waste if their carts are already full.

Make use of the three carts you have and put the right items in the right bins. If your black cart is full, you can leave out extra garbage bags. If your green cart is full, you can put out extra paper yard waste bags.

For oversized and large items that can’t go in the black cart, you can take to a City landfill for disposal. City landfills are still available for residents.

With more people at home the volume of curbside waste collection has increased and our staff in Waste & Recycling Services have been working very hard to keep up.

Helping pets during an illness

Should any Calgarians find themselves unable to care for their pets while experiencing an illness The City of Calgary’s Animal Services team is here to help. We don’t want any furry friends to be left alone with no one to care for them.

The Safekeeping Program is not new, but was created for scenarios exactly like this, allowing animals to be temporarily cared for at the Animal Services building for up to 14 days (and longer if necessary).

While having a pet cared for in their own home or by someone they know is the least stressful for the pet (and their owner), the Safekeeping Program can assist when options are limited. At the end of the day, we want to make sure Calgary’s animals are properly cared for in these challenging times.

The City’s Safekeeping Program is intended for cats and dogs, but the Calgary Humane Society and Alberta Animal Rescue Crew Society offer similar services where they may provide safekeeping for other small pets and exotic animals.

If you or a loved one are in need the City’s Safekeeping service, you can contact 311 for further information.

Supporting Businesses

Supporting local businesses is more important than ever. The COVID-19 pandemic has hit businesses in Calgary hard, and we know many were already challenged from a tough economy. But every small act gives our business community hope.

You can still help while physical distancing by:

Buying from local businesses online; purchasing gift cards to use later.

Ordering delivery or takeout from local restaurants.

Leaving positive reviews of the businesses you love on social media and online.

Spreading the word about businesses who are shifting their services online.

We know that navigating the COVID-19 pandemic has been tough for businesses. We’re here to help support you and do all we can to support our local economy. For updates, resources and information, visit calgary.ca/covid-business.

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]]>Calgary,City News,bannerWed, 22 Apr 2020 15:49:51 -0600https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1485/500_letter.jpg?10000https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1485/letter.jpg?10000From sanitizer to food donations, The City enables businesses looking to pivot to new ventureshttp://newsroom.calgary.ca/from-sanitizer-to-food-donations-the-city-enables-businesses-looking-to-pivot-to-new-ventures/
http://newsroom.calgary.ca/from-sanitizer-to-food-donations-the-city-enables-businesses-looking-to-pivot-to-new-ventures/The business landscape in Calgary has changed drastically since the city’s first case of COVID-19. With retail outlets closed, and food services operating curbside or take-out operations, many business owners are grappling with how to make ends meet - but many are also looking for ways to help.

From local knitting circles and mask-makers to large corporations, Calgarians are pitching in. Some local businesses are looking to change their production lines, while others are finding innovative ways to keep serving customers.

“The City is here to help any local business make changes to how they do their operations,” says Adam Ghani, chief electrical inspector, Calgary Building Services. “Already we’ve partnered with the Calgary Fire Department to help a local brewery retrofit their business and their facility to safely make hand sanitizer.”

Hand sanitizer is in short supply, and local distilleries and breweries, including Annex Ales, Confluence Distilling and Minhas Brewery, have successfully pivoted their facilities to a new line of production. However “alcohol-based sanitizer is highly flammable, and safety is our number one priority,” says Ghani. He encourages anyone considering the production of alcohol-based hand sanitizer to contact the Calgary Fire Department before making any modifications to their facility.

The City has officials on-hand like safety codes officers and building inspectors to support business owners who want to make changes and get up-and-running safely. “We’ve already seen a 20 per cent increase in applications for home-based businesses,” says Cliff De Jong, manager, Customer Solutions & Business Registration. “And we continue to field calls about applying for building permits and getting inspections.”

One example is The Leftovers Foundation, which receives excess food from restaurant suppliers and distributes it to the less fortunate. Executive Director Lourdes Juan approached The City about assistance with their new warehouse lease and concerns about HVAC requirements. “Ultimately, we were able to work collaboratively with our community planning team to confirm that no building permit was required,” says Ulrik Seward, chief building official.

In times of crisis, Calgarians are working together. “It’s important that local companies in Calgary know that we’re here to help,” says Seward. If you’re a local business thinking of changing your operations, or just want advice on what to do, contact the Planning Services Centre at (403) 268-5311 open from 8 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. or speak to us over live chat at www.calgary.ca/livechat.

With sunny skies finally in the weekend forecast, we are all anxious to get outside and enjoy the spring weather. This is one of the best things we can do for our physical and mental well-being, so take a moment to plan how you can make the most of the sunny weekend in a way that continues our collective efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

City parks and pathways

While playgrounds are closed, Calgary parks and off-leash areas remain open for responsible public use. That last part is important: responsible public use. We need the help of all Calgarians to keep these spaces safe and open. Please plan ahead and practice these guidelines for visiting public spaces.

Observe physical distancing; leave at least six feet, or two metres, between yourself and others.

Don’t drive to a park, including off leash areas. Congested parking lots increase the risk of spreading COVID-19.

All dogs (whether on or off leash) must be under control at all times. Don’t pet other people’s dogs. Don’t let anyone pet your dog.

Be a responsible pet owner: don’t forget to clean up after your dog.

“Our City parks and greenspaces are an amazing resource for Calgarians right now. We want to keep them open and we can do that as long as we’re all being responsible,” says Kyle Ripley, Director of Parks. “Get outside, stay 6 feet away from others, and we’ll see you in our parks next weekend.”

You will see something new in The City’s parks this week. Parks staff and Bylaw Officers will be patrolling public spaces to educate visitors on using the spaces responsibly.

Creating pedestrian spaces

Calgary Roads has been adding space for pedestrian traffic by identifying areas where “adaptive road closures” can be used. This involves closing off a lane to motor vehicle traffic and opening the lane for anyone walking, running, cycling, rollerblading and the like. The large lanes allow users to spread out at safe distances.

The adaptive roads have been so well-received that we are receiving numerous requests to expand the program. We are reviewing each request for the ability to keep pedestrians safe, maintain access to open businesses and ensure we don’t drive more activity to an already busy area.

“In the coming weeks, as the weather improves, we will add more lane closures. We will not, however, release the locations of these closures to avoid drawing people to these areas,” says Troy McLeod, Director of Roads. “Instead, we encourage you to enjoy your own neighbourhood and explore the parks, greenspaces and adaptive roads that are close to you.”

When enjoying adaptive roads in your community, remember not to walk too close to moving traffic. To minimize interactions, we encourage pedestrians to consider busy stairways as a one-way upward, finding alternate pathways to go down. Sidewalks can also be used as a one-way in the same direction of traffic, where possible.

Enjoy your own backyard

While this isn’t an option for everyone, there is sun and fun to be had in your own yard or balcony. Fire up the barbecue, dig in the dirt, draw on the sidewalk, or relax with a book in the sun. As long as you enjoy the space with only the people who live in your household, this is your safest and most “rule-free” space to enjoy the warmer weather.

An important note about backyard fire pits:

Be kind to your neighbours. We also know that smoke from fire pits can cause adverse health effects in some people, and under our Community Standards Bylaw, firepits must not negatively impact your neighbour.

You can call 311 if smoke from a neighbour’s fire pit is bothering you. Fines for violations of these regulations range between $100 and $500.

]]>banner,city newsFri, 17 Apr 2020 15:32:47 -0600https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1485/500_2006-2175-dsc-3814-57246.jpg?10000https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1485/2006-2175-dsc-3814-57246.jpg?10000Uniting to #SupportLocalYYC during and after the COVID-19 pandemichttp://newsroom.calgary.ca/uniting-to-supportlocalyyc-during-and-after-the-covid-19-pandemic/
http://newsroom.calgary.ca/uniting-to-supportlocalyyc-during-and-after-the-covid-19-pandemic/

Supporting local businesses is more important than ever, but doing that looks a little different these days.

Instead of venturing out of your community to shop at small boutiques or dine at local restaurants, The City of Calgary is launching a new campaign to rally Calgarians around supporting our business community in other ways while helping to keep our city safe and healthy.

The City of Calgary has created five Task Forces as part of the strategy to flatten the curve of COVID-19 and respond to the short, medium and long-term effects of this pandemic. The Task Forces are focused on five key pieces of work: the current emergency response, continuing services citizens rely on, economic resilience and support for communities and businesses.

Specifically, the Business Sector Support Task Force was created to advocate to the provincial and federal government on behalf of Calgary’s business community, and support businesses through the curation and sharing of helpful tools and resources from trusted sources.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has hit businesses in Calgary hard, and we know many were already challenged from a tough economy,” said Mayor Naheed Nenshi. “Our City taskforces are uniting with our partner organizations and community members to support citizens and businesses through the pandemic. We’re all in this together, and we will get through this together.”

Under #SupportLocalYYC, The City of Calgary together with our partners Calgary Economic Development, the Calgary Chamber, Tourism Calgary and Calgary Arts Development, are supporting the business community by creating connections, sharing resources and tools, and highlighting positive stories to inspire the community and spark further innovations that can benefit those in need.

“It truly takes a village,” said Sonya Sharp, chair of the Business Sector Support taskforce and lead of the City’s Business and Local Economy Team. “Between our organization, all our amazing partners and working with the business community, we can turn things around when this pandemic is over. We need to continue to work together to share resources, provide support to those who need it most, and think about how we can help support Calgary businesses wherever and whenever we are able.”

How can you #SupportLocalYYC? Every small act gives our business community hope. You can still #SupportLocalYYC while physical distancing by:

Buying from local businesses online; purchasing gift cards to use later.

Ordering delivery or takeout from local restaurants.

Leaving positive reviews of the businesses you love on social media and online.

Spreading the word about businesses who are shifting their services online.

We know that navigating the COVID-19 pandemic has been tough for businesses. We’re here to help support you and do all we can to support our local economy. For updates, resources and information, visit calgary.ca/covid-business.

]]>feature,banner,comebackWed, 15 Apr 2020 13:00:00 -0600https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1485/500_supportlocal.jpg?10000https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1485/supportlocal.jpg?10000Changing travel trends during COVID-19http://newsroom.calgary.ca/changing-travel-trends-during-covid-19/
http://newsroom.calgary.ca/changing-travel-trends-during-covid-19/Since the Municipal Emergency Plan was activated on March 12, 2020, The City has continued to collect travel data as part of its regular Transportation Data Collection Program. With increased physical distancing measures in place and the closures of non-essential businesses and schools, a decrease in traffic on Calgary’s roads is to be expected across all transportation modes including public transit, taxi and ridesharing, but there’s more to the data than what initially meets the eye.

While roads like Bow Trail that serve as major commuter routes to downtown Calgary have seen the steepest decline in traffic (60% decrease in weekday traffic), the decline in traffic isn’t as drastic on roads that serve industrial areas. For example, Ogden Road SE south of Bonny Brook Road has seen a 45% decrease in weekday traffic while still serving as an important delivery route for many businesses in the area that continue to operate during the pandemic.

When breaking down what kinds of vehicles are still operating, passenger vehicles as well as buses have seen the largest reduction, but the number of heavy trucks has remained consistent from the beginning of March, even seeing a slight increase the week of March 16. The consistent flow of trucking traffic along Calgary’s road network further emphasizes the importance of supply chains to Calgary’s essential businesses and Calgarians as a whole.

While vehicle traffic has seen an overall decline, many Calgarians have taken to the city’s pathway network (maintaining a safe physical distance, of course) whether it’s for a walk, jog or bike ride. At the end of March, The City’s Transportation Department in coordination with CEMA, closed lanes on select roadways as part of an “adaptive roadway” initiative to give those walking and wheeling more space to be outside.

“It’s important that we monitor our transportation system to ensure it is operating effectively - for example, on the adaptive roadways that allow pedestrians and cyclists to practice physical distancing. From a long-term perspective, it will be important to continue to monitor the system to see if there are future travel behaviour trends after the pandemic has passed," says Ekke Kok, Manager of Transportation Data and Forecasting.

Keeping Calgarians on the move and providing a safe, reliable transportation network continues to be a top priority for The City and for Calgarians who continue to provide essential services during the pandemic. Over the coming months we will continue collecting and analyzing travel data using our network of automatic count stations, with historical traffic data available through our publicly available online tool CalTRACS(Calgary Traffic Counts System). A more detailed report on travel trends for the month of March is available at Calgary.ca/transportationdata.

]]>banner,featureTue, 14 Apr 2020 14:09:04 -0600https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1485/500_image6-trucks.jpg?10000https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1485/image6-trucks.jpg?10000Green Line Committee Meeting Updatehttp://newsroom.calgary.ca/green-line-committee-meeting-update/
http://newsroom.calgary.ca/green-line-committee-meeting-update/CALGARY, April 9, 2020 - The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way all of us are living our lives and has impacted the way we are doing work at The City of Calgary. Restrictions put in place on public gatherings to limit the spread of COVID-19 have impacted our ability to hold in-person engagement activities and have important conversations face to face with impacted stakeholders. To allow our stakeholders more time to provide feedback and understand the changes we are proposing to the Green Line route between 16 Ave. N. and the Elbow River, we are deferring the Green Line Committee meeting from April 23 to June.

“Deferring will give us an opportunity to extend the time citizens will have to give feedback and allow the Green Line team to provide an update on areas we are still exploring and respond to stakeholder questions we’ve received,” said Michael Thompson, General Manager Green Line.

Our online public engagement will now be extended to April 30 and answers to questions we have received through engagement to date will be posted later in April. In addition to the recommendation for an updated Stage 1 alignment, the Borrowing Bylaw, Governance and What We Heard reports as well as the updated Business Case, will also be deferred to June 2020.

Moving the Green Line forward

“We are continuing to move this project forward to support Calgary’s economic response and long-term recovery. We want to be ready when Calgary is ready,” Thompson said. “As The City’s largest job creation project, construction of Green Line Stage 1 will be a critical component of The City’s COVID-19 recovery effort. The Green Line LRT project generates jobs in the short term and long term.”

The Enabling Works program is keeping people working today and will continue to generate jobs between now and when the main construction is scheduled to start in 2021.

Construction of Stage 1 of the Green Line will create approximately 20,000 jobs (12,000 direct and 8,000 indirect)

Administration has completed the evaluation of the responses to the Request for Qualification for Segment 1 and will be announcing the shortlisted proponents by May 2020. Administration is finalizing the Request for Proposal for Segment 1 and will be releasing this to the shortlisted proponents on July 24, 2020.

Administration has previously shortlisted four proponents for the supply of vehicles for the Green Line and the Request for Proposals for the new vehicles will be released to the proponents in May 2020.

Check Calgary.ca/GreenLine often for the latest Green Line information and updates on the Stage 1 alignment.

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]]>news,bannerThu, 09 Apr 2020 17:28:00 -0600https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1485/500_lrtoncentrestreet-2.jpg?10000https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1485/lrtoncentrestreet-2.jpg?10000Long weekend Hours of Operationhttp://newsroom.calgary.ca/long-weekend-hours-of-operation/
http://newsroom.calgary.ca/long-weekend-hours-of-operation/CALGARY, April 9, 2020 - The City of Calgary remains under a State of Local Emergency (SOLE) and has already implemented several changes to our essential operations including some facility closures to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The Calgary Emergency Management Agency (CEMA) reminds citizens that frequent hand washing and physical distancing measures are our best defense to protect the health and safety of everyone in our community.“I’d like to thank all Calgarians for their continued support in staying home to prevent the spread,”said CEMA Chief, Tom Sampson. “I know these are difficult times for many in our city and around the globe, but these small adjustments to our daily lives are resulting in a big impact on the lives and to the families of the essential workers we rely on to keep our communities going.”

Things to do:

In advance of the Easter long weekend, The City encourages all Calgarians to take advantage of the time to catch up with family and friends – but please do so virtually. Enjoy dinner and practice religious observances through video chat or other methods that do not include gathering with anyone other than the people from your own home. Physical distancing is paramount during the COVID-19 pandemic. The City and our community partners have launched a new online tool to help Calgarians keep active and healthy, while staying home to prevent the spread: Calgary.ca/AtHome. Here you’ll find interactive how-to-videos and age-appropriate tutorials including science experiments from TELUS Spark, storytime with the Calgary Public Library, performances from the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, even a behind the scenes look at your favorite critters at the Calgary Zoo.

We understand that citizens may feel even more isolated especially on a holiday weekend, and how this is possibly taking a toll on our mental health and wellness. We encourage you to view the Neighbours Helping Neighbours page which shares resources to help citizens stay connected with their community during this time as well as the Emotional Wellness page.

Enjoy the outdoors

With 8,000 hectares of park space, there is tons of room for physical distancing. Do your part in helping us keep our parks safe and open by adhering to the recommendations of public health officials. Stay close to home by visiting your neighbourhood park (95 per cent of citizens live within a five-minute walk to their local park). Avoid crowded parks and be sure to step aside to stay at least two metres or six feet apart when passing other citizens on trails, pathways and sidewalks.

Getting around:

Calgary Transit

The COVID-19 pandemic has had significant impacts on ridership across Calgary Transit’s network resulting in service reductions as well as limited access to buildings at some CTrain stations. Please review our most recent route changes effective April 6here. From Friday, April 10 at 2:13 a.m. to Monday, April 13 at 3:50 a.m. (73.2 consecutive hours), the Blue Line will be split into two segments. The Blue Line from the North terminates at McKnight-Westwinds Station and runs on a 10 minute schedule. The Blue Line from the South terminates at Marlborough Station inbound side and runs on a 15 minute schedule.

Shuttle buses will replace train service between McKnight-Westwinds and Marlborough Stations running every 5 minutes. Bus routes and shuttles have the potential to be delayed due to a lane closure on 36 Street adjacent to the work area.

If you need help planning your trip or finding out when your next bus is, reach out to us at 403-262-1000 or on Twitter @calgarytransit.

Pathways & Bikeways

All City of Calgary cycletracks and pathways remain open, but citizens are reminded of the public health order requirements to maintain a minimum of two metres apart from other users of any public space.

Calgary Roads Street Sweeping

Our residential street sweeping program begins Monday, April 20. More information including community schedules will be available on calgary.ca/sweep next week.

Calgary Parking Authority

Payment is not required for on-street ParkPlus zones on Good Friday, April 10, Easter Sunday, April 12 or on Easter Monday, April 13. Holiday rates will be in effect at select CPA surface lots and at the City Centre Parkade (340 – 10 Ave SW/221 9 Ave SW). All other parkades are accessible to monthly contract parkers only in support of COVID-19 measures.

The Impound Lot will be open Friday, April 10 from 12 – 4 p.m., Saturday, April 11 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed on Sunday, April 12, and open Monday, April 13 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Around the house:

Cart collection

Starting April 6, some households may see a change in their pickup day for their blue, green or black cart. Please visit calgary.ca/collection to check your collection schedule and sign up for reminders by email, text message, telephone or download the Garbage Day app.

East Calgary, Shepard and Spyhill landfills are open on Good Friday (April 10), Easter Monday (April 13) and closed on Easter Sunday (April 12). Landfill hours and locations are available on calgary.ca/landfill.

Facility closures:*Note many of our facilities are closed in response to orders set out by the Alberta Emergency Management Act, but some essential services with in-person operations including tax and utility information counters and the Animal Services Centre are adjusting their hours of operation over the holiday weekend.Please visit calgary.ca/covid19 or contact 311 for the latest information on revised hours and procedures to access City services.

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]]>City News,bannerThu, 09 Apr 2020 15:49:00 -0600https://content.presspage.com/clients/150_1485.png?10000https://content.presspage.com/clients/150_1485.png?10000City of Calgary COVID-19 update April 8http://newsroom.calgary.ca/city-of-calgary-covid-19-update-april-8/
http://newsroom.calgary.ca/city-of-calgary-covid-19-update-april-8/The City of Calgary has extended the State of Local Emergency with orders to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

“The virus is now responsible for taking the lives of 17 Calgarians,” said Mayor Nenshi in his opening remarks. “No matter how many times I say that this will not be the last update on our losses, it never hurts any less.”

Below are the latest updates from today’s media availability:

State of Local Emergency extended

The City would like to remind citizens that we remain in a State of Local Emergency. This order was extended by seven days today in support of the Province of Alberta’s efforts to combat the spread of COVID-19.

Reaction to Provincial forecasting

Today, The City responded to modelling done by Alberta Health Services that said by end of summer, Alberta could see as many as 800,000 infections, and between 400 and 3,100 deaths.

“I know some of the numbers we heard from The Province last night are frightening and sobering but this thing is in our hands now – we can slow this virus down,” said Sampson.

The City asked youth in particular to practice physically distancing. “We see you still out there hanging out with your friends. Let me be your parent for a minute – you have a whole life in front of you… don’t throw that away by taking unnecessary risks.”

Recommending non-medical masks

Following up on recommendations from both the Federal and Provincial governments, The City is now also recommending the use of non-medial masks or covering your face in crowded public spaces.

The City says while choosing to wear a mask is an individual decision, people should consider it if they are planning to attend a congested space. This includes any area where you are not able to keep a 6-foot distance from others.

“But wearing a mask in public does not mean you do not need to practice other health measures, like physical distancing and handwashing,” said Sampson.

Safely disposing of PPE

The City has received reports of people disposing of protective masks and gloves by tossing them on the ground. The City is asking that citizens throw them in the trash after use - do not place them in the recycling.

Free 30-minute Parking Zone changes

To help local businesses and customers during the COVID-19 pandemic, starting on April 9, all paid on-street parking zones will allow for a grace period of up to 30 minutes at no cost to the customer. Learn more by visiting the Short-term Parking Zone change​ webpage.

Transit station closures

Calgary Transit has introduced a new program to close the station buildings of Victoria Park/Stampede, Erlton, Anderson, Heritage and Southland Station from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. This is being done to help reduce the number of people gathering in our station buildings. The City hopes this will encourage physical distancing while on transit and help keep our system safe. Peace Officers will continue to patrol the system and the security team is proactively monitoring over 1,200 cameras on the system.

Waste collection changes

There are changes to waste collection to maintain service for Calgarians while keeping collectors safe and healthy by reducing interactions with the public and limiting contact with various surfaces. These changes include no extra bags of waste left outside of the bins will be picked up, green cart collection will remain at once every two weeks and some changes in collection days. Please visit calgary.ca/collection to check your collection schedule.

“As you can imagine, Waste & Recycling Services, like other City services are facing staffing challenges with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. We do not have the extra resources, trucks or drivers at this time,” said Sharon Howland, Leader of Program Management with Waste & Recycling Services

Easter bunny expected in Calgary

Today, Mayor Nenshi made the exciting announcement to all kids that the Easter Bunny has been deemed an essential service.

“But this long weekend, we want everyone to enjoy their traditions – even if that means doing them differently in order to be safe. Have an Easter egg hunt, or a treasure hunt in your home and yard.”

Community giving and donations

Today, Mayor Nenshi announced his joint-campaign with Arlene Dickinson to raise funds for the Calgary Food Bank has raised over $200,000 in the last three days. He also highlighted a number of other programs being run to assist those in need. For more information, visit the Access to Food webpage on Calgary.ca.

Media update

The media are reminded that this will be the last COVID media update this week as our regular scheduled one on Friday has been cancelled for Good Friday.

]]>City News,bannerWed, 08 Apr 2020 15:38:00 -0600https://content.presspage.com/clients/150_1485.png?10000https://content.presspage.com/clients/150_1485.png?10000Council Approves new relief measures to support Citizens and businesseshttp://newsroom.calgary.ca/council-approves-new-relief-measures-to-support-citizens-and-businesses/
http://newsroom.calgary.ca/council-approves-new-relief-measures-to-support-citizens-and-businesses/The City of Calgary is taking action to support citizens and businesses in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, Council approved the 2020 Property Tax Bylaws and additional relief measures to support taxpayers facing financial hardship.

Property tax bills will be mailed by the end of May 2020 however two new significant relief measures were approved to provide flexibility for taxpayers:

The tax payment deadline has been extended from June 30 to September 30 without late payment penalties; and

The Tax Installment Payment Plan (TIPP) has suspended its 2% filing fee for taxpayers who join TIPP after January 1, which has been suspended until January 1, 2021.

“The combination of the global oil price collapse and the measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19 are having an unprecedented impact on Calgarians. The City of Calgary is here for you,” said Mayor Nenshi. “The actions Council approved support citizens and businesses today, as we continue to analyze and consider additional measures for medium- and long-term recovery.”

Residential and non-residential taxpayers requiring support are encouraged to use the new tax relief measures to help ease their burden. Where possible, those who are able to pay their taxes on June 30 or continue their regular payment through TIPP are encouraged to do so. This will avoid larger payments later in the year, and will support essential services upon which all Calgarians rely.

Additional Information

The new relief measures introduced today are in addition to measures previously approved by Council:

Nov. 19, 2019 - Use of one-time funding to maintain last year’s municipal tax rate for both residential and non-residential property owners.

Nov. 19, 2019 - Shifting the tax responsibility from 49 per cent residential and 51 per cent non-residential, to 52 per cent residential and 48 per cent non-residential in order to provide support to businesses and non-residential property owners.

In November 2019, Council approved 2020 budget adjustments in a thoughtful process that allowed the Calgary Police Service and Civic Partners to preserve their budgets, while taking a least harm approach in reducing some City services. Additionally, Council directed Administration to provide options for a transitional non-residential phased tax program for 2020 and 2021, as well as strategies and initiatives to achieve targeted budget reductions of $24 million in 2021 and $50 million in support of Calgary’s economic recovery.

Feb. 3. 2020 - City Council approved $30 million in tax relief for Calgary businesses who have experienced the most significant municipal property tax increases over the past four years. Learn more about the 2020 Municipal Non-Res Phased Tax Program.

Mar. 16, 2020 – Utility payment relief measures established including increased payment flexibility installment plans, extending payment dates and/or suspension of collection-related activities on their ENMAX and City of Calgary municipal services. Additionally, disconnection of electricity service for non-payment has been suspended until further notice

Mar. 29,2020 – Business Improvement Areas late payments deferred from April 1 until June 30. For more information please visit: www.calgary.ca/covid-business

In addition to municipal taxes, municipalities collect taxes on behalf of the province. The combination of the municipal and provincial increases results in a combined increase to residential taxpayers of:

7.55 per cent or $240 per year ($20 per month) for the median assessed property of $455,000 after the Council rebate.

Excluding the impact of assessment changes and Phased Tax Program (PTP) rebates, non-residential taxpayers will see a combined decrease of:

12.07 per cent or $2,640 per $1 million of assessed value annually ($220 per month) after the Council rebate

Other assistance programs:

Under The City’s Property Tax Assistance Program, residential property owners of any age may be eligible for a credit/grant of the increase on their property tax. Visit www.calgary.ca/ptap for more information or call 311.

]]>City News,bannerMon, 06 Apr 2020 19:12:00 -0600https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1485/500_cityscapephotoforyycmatters-985790.jpg?10000https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1485/cityscapephotoforyycmatters-985790.jpg?10000CIty of Calgary COVID-19 update April 6http://newsroom.calgary.ca/city-of-calgary-covid-19-update-april-6/
http://newsroom.calgary.ca/city-of-calgary-covid-19-update-april-6/The City of Calgary continues maintaining essential services during this State of Local Emergency with orders to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Calgary Emergency Management Agency Chief Tom Sampson and Mayor Naheed Nenshi held a media availability earlier today in which they thanked Calgarians for their co-operation during the pandemic and pointed to further community supports and initiatives.

“Calgarians are stepping up to the plate and recalibrating to a new normal,” said Sampson. “We will get to a place where we can once again shake hands and hug our friends. But we are not there yet. We can’t let our foot off the gas.”

Below are the latest updates from today’s media availability

Proactive Patrolling to encourage physical distancing

Calgary Police Service and Community Peace Officers continue to work with all of our partner agencies, including Calgary Fire, to help educate and decrease the impact of COVID-19 on our communities through voluntary compliance. Several public orders and restrictions have been announced, including the closing of some businesses and public areas to allow for greater physical distancing. This includes public gatherings of no more than 15 people and physical distancing requirement of two metres. Community Peace Officers and other uniformed personnel will be proactively patrolling parks and public spaces going forward, with assistance from police when required, to ensure physical distancing requirements are being met. As always, discretion for issuing these tickets will be used. The fine for contravening the Public Health Order is $1,200. Public safety is of the upmost importance and we need to use every tool in our toolbox to flatten the curve.

Spring street sweeping delayed due to weather

The City’s Spring street sweeping program has been delayed due to poor weather conditions. With snow and cooler weather anticipated for much of this week, Roads crews will continue to focus their efforts on snow and ice control operations and we will push back the start of street sweeping until April 20th.There will be further updates to share in the weeks to come.

Community supports

Today, The City is launching a new collection of online resources for kids, youth, seniors and families to help keep their minds and bodies active during this time of physical distancing. Visit calgary.ca/athome for a regularly-updated set of videos, instructions and learning modules for everything from fitness, to crafts and games, to ways to engage with nature.

These online resources are an extension of the 800 activity kits Calgary Neighborhoods has created for low-income families These kits are being safely delivered ensuring that physical distancing and other health protocols are followed. The kits contain booklets of simple guided activities that parents and caregivers can go through with their children.

Calgary Fire drive-by birthdays prove popular

Calgary Fire Dept. is overwhelmed by the support it gets from the community. Since last Friday’s announcement that fire crews would be helping to brighten birthdays for children and seniors who are staying home during their birthdays with fire engine drive-bys, CFD has received more than 5,800 requests for the service. “We are moved that so many Calgarians have shown how they value our firefighters,” said CFD Chief Steve Dongworth. “We are hoping to get to as many of you as possible, but we need some time to get through all the requests. We’re making our way down the list and if your birthday is towards the end of May, then you will hear from us closer to the date.”

Cancelled events

As a follow-up to the announcement that all public events are cancelled through June 30, The City has updated Calgary.ca/covid19 with a list of the 79 events that have been cancelled due to COVID-19.

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]]>City News,bannerMon, 06 Apr 2020 15:36:00 -0600https://content.presspage.com/clients/150_1485.png?10000https://content.presspage.com/clients/150_1485.png?10000Calgary Fire Department Drive-By Birthdayshttp://newsroom.calgary.ca/calgary-fire-department-drive-by-birthdays/
http://newsroom.calgary.ca/calgary-fire-department-drive-by-birthdays/To help celebrate Calgarians’ birthdays, while respecting the rules of physical distancing, the Calgary Fire Department is offering Drive-By Birthdays to people between the ages of 4-12 and 75+.

“This idea came from our members and the Calgary Firefighters’ Association, and they have been a driving force in getting this program launched,” says Calgary Fire Department Chief Steve Dongworth. “We are living in a difficult time, and if the Calgary Fire Department can help in a small way by bringing a smile to the face of birthday celebrants – both young and old - then we are happy to do so.”

From now until the end of May 2020, citizens can request a special Drive-By Birthday by calling 311 or filling out a Fire Dept – Operation Birthdays service request online.

Please note, this service is not guaranteed as our crews may be called upon to assist at an emergency.

Due to the high volume of requests received, we will be focusing on requests for the next week first, prior to responding to requests for a later date.

]]>banner,City NewsFri, 03 Apr 2020 18:10:34 -0600https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1485/500_cfdbirthday.jpg?10000https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1485/cfdbirthday.jpg?10000City of Calgary update on response to COVID-19 – April 3, 2020http://newsroom.calgary.ca/city-of-calgary-update-on-response-to-covid-19--april-3-2020/
http://newsroom.calgary.ca/city-of-calgary-update-on-response-to-covid-19--april-3-2020/The City of Calgary continues maintaining essential services during this State of Local Emergency with orders to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Please see below for the latest updates.

“Calgary is a vibrant city renowned for our world-class festivals and events and we realize this decision is disappointing for all Calgarians,” says Calgary Emergency Management Agency Chief Tom Sampson. “However, public safety and therefore physical distancing must be our top priority during this pandemic. Once we’ve flattened the curve and Calgarians can gather once again, we’ll work with event organizers to bring amazing events back to Calgary’s streets, parks and venues.”

The City will continue to reevaluate this decision and the June 30 date could be extended based on the Province’s direction and Canadians’ ability to flatten the curve. If the event cancellation date is to be extended past June 30, The City will notify Calgarians and event organizers by May 5, 2020.

Calgary Fire Department Drive-By Birthdays

To help celebrate Calgarians’ birthdays, while respecting the rules of physical distancing, the Calgary Fire Department is offering Drive-By Birthdays to people between the ages of 4-12 and 75+.

“This idea came from our members and the Calgary Firefighters’ Association, and they have been a driving force in getting this program launched,” says Calgary Fire Department Chief Steve Dongworth. “We are living in a difficult time, and if the Calgary Fire Department can help in a small way by bringing a smile to the face of birthday celebrants – both young and old - then we are happy to do so.”

From now until the end of May 2020, citizens can request a special Drive-By Birthday by calling 311 or filling out a Fire Dept – Operation Birthdays service request online.

Please note, this service is not guaranteed as our crews may be called upon to assist at an emergency.

Physical distancingIn order to ensure we continue to limit the spread of COVID-19, The City is reminding all citizens about the importance of maintaining a 2 metre distance between you and those around you.

“I cannot stress enough how critical it is for all of us to do our part and maintain this distance to help contain the spread of this pandemic,” says Calgary Emergency Management Agency Chief Tom Sampson. “During the 2013 floods, the Emergency Operations Centre had more than 200 people coordinating efforts to respond to that crisis, all working out of the same room. Today, in our current State of Local Emergency, the Emergency Operations Centre sits almost empty, with the majority of staff working at home so that we do not put one another at risk.”

To further enforce physical distancing, the Plus 15 network was fully closed as of 6 p.m. April 2, 2020, until further notice.

City parks

City-operated playgrounds are closed but Calgary’s parks remain open. Calgary has 8,000 hectares of parks spaces, and nearly 1,000 km of pathways for citizens to enjoy.

The City will continue to put measures in place to provide good pedestrian and cyclist spacing to support our COVID-19 response, including weekend closures of selected roads.

Help us keep City parks open and limit the spread of COVID-19, by avoiding crowding parks, off leash areas or hiking trails, as well as by staying within your own community. Ninety-nine per cent of Calgary residences are within a 5 minute walk of a park or green space.

Park users are asked to stay at least two metres, or six feet apart and avoid touching equipment with hard surfaces as they are not disinfected regularly. Do not use parks if you are exhibiting any symptoms.

Please remember that outdoor activity is only allowed when practicing physical distancing.

Waste & Recycling Services – Collection day changes

Starting April 6, some households may see a change in their pickup day for their blue, green or black cart. Please visit calgary.ca/collection to check your collection schedule and sign up for reminders by email, text message, telephone or download the Garbage Day app.

If you are already signed up and your schedule is changing, pickup day reminders will automatically adjust to your new collection schedule. These previously planned schedule changes allow us to accommodate city growth and continue providing reliable service to Calgarians.

Frequency of pickups

Green cart collection is remaining at every other week instead of switching to weekly for spring. By keeping green cart collection at every other week, we are better prepared for staffing impacts related to COVID-19 and will be able to continue to provide reliable pickup to Calgarians.

Blue carts will continue to be picked up every week.

Black carts will continue to be picked up every other week.

Please keep extra garbage, recyclables or yard waste on your property until your next collection day, when you can fit them into the appropriate cart. Alternatively, ask a neighbour if they have space in their carts that you could also use.

Please note we are not collecting extra bags left outside of the cart at this time. This helps keep your driver safe and healthy by reducing their interactions with the public and limiting their contact with various surfaces.

Community supports

A new website has been created that provides dozens of links for community services to help Calgarians find the support they may need during the COVID-19 pandemic. This website can be accessed via the COVID-19 page on calgary.ca, under the “supports for individuals” category.

Information on this site has been organized into categories that address main areas of support that have been requested by Calgarians. This includes funding support that the federal and provincial governments have made available to citizens – access to food, essential contact numbers for seniors and resources for immigrants.

This website is a work in progress, and as more programs and services come online, they will be added to this new website. If any citizen is worried about their income, their food supply, isolation, and personal health, they can access the City’s COVID-19 page for all the information they need to come through this pandemic.

Reminder – Don’t flush wipes

Flushing anything other than human waste and toilet paper down the toilet can clog pipes and create sewer back-ups, which can be costly for both homeowners and The City.

Wipes that claim to be flushable aren’t. After they’re flushed, they don’t break down like toilet paper does. Toilet paper will disintegrate after it’s flushed, but so-called “flushable” wipes retain their shape and strength, causing blockages in pipes.

Facial tissue (Kleenex), serviettes and paper towel cannot be flushed down your toilet. They do not break down as toilet paper does, and lead to clogs and sewer back-ups.

Wipes, paper towel and all other items used as a toilet paper alternatives should be bagged and disposed of in your black cart. They do not belong in your green or blue bins.

]]>banner,City NewsFri, 03 Apr 2020 15:56:52 -0600https://content.presspage.com/clients/150_1485.png?10000https://content.presspage.com/clients/150_1485.png?10000The helping hands keeping Calgary informed during the COVID-19 crisishttp://newsroom.calgary.ca/the-helping-hands-keeping-calgary-informed-during-the-covid-19-crisis/
http://newsroom.calgary.ca/the-helping-hands-keeping-calgary-informed-during-the-covid-19-crisis/A Q and A with the ASL interpreters standing alongside Alberta’s top government officialsAs we enter a new month, after seemingly what felt like the longest March on record, watching daily television news briefings have become part of the routine for many Canadian households.

We start each morning with the Prime Minister’s update outside his Rideau Cottage residence, usually followed by a mid-afternoon briefing with the Premier and Alberta’s top doc, then a local announcement featuring Mayor Nenshi and chief of Calgary’s Emergency Management Agency (CEMA), Tom Sampson.

Although these officials offer different, yet equally important messaging they share one commonality that we haven’t necessarily seen (or heard from) before – interpreters translating to American Sign Language (ASL).

Angela Flaman, Business Development Manager and interpreter for more than 20 years with Deaf and Hear Alberta (DHA) says the organization reached out to CEMA shortly after the 2013 Floods and 2016 Fort McMurray wildfire.

When flood waters raged during what was dubbed the largest natural disaster in Canadian history, and thousands of people were forced to evacuate as fire threatened their homes in oil country, Alberta’s deaf and hard of hearing communities didn’t always have real-time access to information in their first language ASL.

“Chief Sampson and his team have been working hard to ensure there’s access to critical information and real-time communication for the deaf and hard of hearing communities. The City of Calgary has been leaders in this and have set the bar for all levels of government. The deaf community is very happy to finally see interpreters on camera for all media announcements - this is a big step in accessibly and access for all,” adds Flaman.

Notably, DHA participated in a crisis training exercise with CEMA on Feb. 27, mere days before the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic and Flaman and her colleagues were called to translate as The City of Calgary announced a State of Local Emergency (SOLE) at 8:51 p.m. on March 15.

So who are these helping hands on CEMA’s stage? Here’s a little more from a virtual interview (the new-norm in maintaining physical distance), with a couple of the familiar faces connecting Calgary’s deaf and hard of hearing community through-out this crisis.

Q. You’re kind of a like a dynamic duo. Please explain how you connected and how long you’ve been working together providing translation/interpretive services?

WandaWarkentin - I have worked as Deaf Interpreter for DHA since 2008 or 2009. Before that I was trained as a Deaf Interpreter in Winnipeg in 1990. I always enjoying learning every day with an amazing group of interpreters.

Angela Flaman – I have been interpreting for 20 years. Wanda and I have been working together since 2009 in a variety of settings; Workplaces, medical settings, legal, court and media broadcasts. It’s an honour to work with Wanda as a Deaf Interpreter. I’ve learned so much from her; we can talk opening about our work, give each other tips and feedback and the best part is we have fun working together. Lots and lots of laughs!

Q. Angela – you’re the hidden partner that that camera doesn’t see. Is this how all interpretive services work?

I’m the off camera, hearing interpreter, who listens to the speaker and interprets into ASL. I stand on the platform at the back of the media briefing room so Wanda can see me clearly with good lighting. Wanda, the deaf interpreter, interprets to a culturally appropriate native ASL or Natural ASL. As a hearing interpreter (HI), ASL is my second language and working with a deaf interpreter she makes sure that the facial expressions, non-manual signals and nuances are there, to convey the critical information. We co-create the interpretation to provide accurate information for deaf and hard of hearing individuals.

Normally I work solo in a variety of settings; a business meeting, doctor’s appointment, or parent teacher interview, where I work directly with the deaf individual and the hearing individual to provide equal access to communication for both. Legal, court, some medical and media broadcast are teamed preferably with a Deaf Interpreter and a hearing interpreter team. There are not many deaf interpreters due to scheduling availability hearing interpreters often work in teams.

We are very fortunate that Deaf and Hear Alberta and The City of Calgary have partnered together and provided two onsite training opportunities this past fall and winter. Deaf and Hear Alberta also received funding to provide training to some of our roster interpreters for live emergency broadcasts. A key to the success is seen on the daily broadcasts happening through-out the province.

Q. Wanda – have you ever translated for live television audiences before? Do you ever feel nervous standing up on stage next to the Mayor or Chief Sampson?

I feel honoured to stand beside the Mayor and Chief Sampson, and thankful they allow me to do the interpreting to our deaf community. I’m not nervous and feel excited to stand beside them.

I have worked on many diverse stages; poetry, Lunchbox Theatre, conferences and many more. It was challenging to interpret the meaning of poetry and dialogue meaning, but I love it. Of course I was nervous at the beginning of my career, but practice and preparation have helped me get better every time.

Q. The amount of ever changing and mainly negative information seems overwhelming at times. How do you turn if off at the end of the day?

Wanda – Some situations, I will never forget and touched my heart. The messages from Dr. Hinshaw and Premier, Jason Kenney are very important and I’m very happy to give those messages to the deaf community in my first sign language. Sometimes it can be exhausting, but I love to puzzle and play board games with my children. I video chat with my 4 children and 6 grandsons. They are so precious and very important in my life. I love them so much.

Angela - As an interpreter, it is very important to stay on top of the information regarding the pandemic. Our team has been watching/listening to the Prime Minister, Dr. Hinshaw, Premier Kenney’s announcements and following Alberta Health Services’ updates.

We are lucky to work with an amazing team at the City of Calgary. The training with CEMA and Deaf and Hear Alberta has outlined a great process and working relationship to provide the Deaf and hard of hearing communities with full access to critical information during this pandemic

The negative information and seriousness of this pandemic is tough at times. I feel extremely lucky to work with a supportive team that I can reach out to, as they’re working in the same situation. My husband and daughter are an amazing support. We make sure that we go out for walks, work out at home, play games, be silly, and laugh. Their hugs are truly the best!

Q. Any notable moments or something interesting you’ve learned about The City of Calgary and how we manage crisis events?

Wanda – For the deaf community, it’s been a long time since we’ve had an interpreter on stage. In the past there wasn’t great access to immediate information. Closed captioning often has incorrect spelling or even words, and English is not our first language. Today, you (The City) made it happen. I thank you for that. Thank you for giving me preparation and for the opportunity to be part of mock training exercises with DHA and CEMA. I really enjoy working as a team with you.

Angela - I so grateful for the training opportunities offered by Deaf and Hear Alberta and CEMA prior to this pandemic. Chief Tom Sampson and his amazing team invited our team of interpreters to several mock tabletop exercises. This has helped me to develop strategies and skills when working with Wanda (and our team) to co-create and interpret the critical information to the deaf community, so they are informed and can keep themselves and their families safe.

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Deaf and Hear Alberta (DHA) is a non-profit organization that provides services and programs for all Albertans. The organization strives to break down barriers and provide equal access for all deaf and hard of hearing individuals.

ASL Interpreters are educated, trained, professionals who adhere to a National Code of Ethics. ASL interpreters are a neutral party to convey the message with its original intent, meaning, tone, affect of all speakers.

]]>feature,bannerThu, 02 Apr 2020 10:31:15 -0600https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1485/500_wandainterpretingformayornenshi.jpg?10000https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1485/wandainterpretingformayornenshi.jpg?10000City of Calgary update on response to COVID-19http://newsroom.calgary.ca/city-of-calgary-update-on-response-to-covid-19-april1/
http://newsroom.calgary.ca/city-of-calgary-update-on-response-to-covid-19-april1/The City of Calgary would like to remind citizens that we remain in a State of Local Emergency. This is to support the Province of Alberta’s efforts to combat the spread of COVID-19.

Please see below for the latest updates

Self-isolation measures

Based on the Federal Government’s decision to make self-isolation measures mandatory for all Canadians returning from travel, The City has revoked its prior order for these measures.

“The Federal Government’s order supersedes The City’s prior order for the same measures. We will continue to follow all mandatory self-isolation measures through this order,” says Calgary Emergency Management Agency Chief Tom Sampson.

The City of Calgary is announcing further measures to reinforce physical distancing on Calgary Transit as part of our response to COVID-19.

The health, safety and wellness of our employees and customers is a top priority. During the state of local emergency declared by The City of Calgary, we are limiting seating and standing areas on our buses to promote physical distancing and allow for extra space between customers.

About half the seats on board buses will have signage on them to let customers know which seats are to be left vacant.

“Keeping a safe physical distance is a shared responsibility, and we hope that customers will play a role in helping us keep everyone safe,” says Calgary Emergency Management Agency Chief Tom Sampson.

If the new customer capacity is reached, bus operators will not make any further stops to collect passengers; those unable to board will have to wait for the next bus. With fewer customers during the COVID-19 outbreak, these safety measures are not expected to impact travel times on most bus routes. However, customers who travel at peak times, especially during rush hours, should consider allowing additional travel time. Customers are requested to consider their need to travel.

Safe Elevator Etiquette

When using elevators, please remember to take steps to help stop the spread of COVID-19. This includes:

-Facing the wall inside the elevator

-Limiting the number of people to three in each elevator

-Waiting for the next elevator to avoid crowding

-Avoiding touching your face after pressing the elevator buttons

-Washing or sanitizing your hands after leaving the elevator

Playground and skate park closures

A reminder that all playgrounds and skate parks in Calgary remain closed.

“We understand that these closures are difficult, however our actions now will help prevent the spread of COVID-19,” says Calgary Emergency Management Agency Chief Tom Sampson. We ask that you continue to respect the closures that are in place and do not remove signage from or use these areas,”

If a closure sign has been removed, this does not affect the status of the closure, and citizens must continue to abide by the restrictions that are in place.

Cancellation of City events

To aid in physical distancing measures, all City of Calgary events have been cancelled until April 30.

We will continue to re-evaluate this decision every two weeks going forward.

]]>banner,City NewsWed, 01 Apr 2020 14:33:25 -0600https://content.presspage.com/clients/150_1485.png?10000https://content.presspage.com/clients/150_1485.png?10000City of Calgary announces 1,200 temporary layoffshttp://newsroom.calgary.ca/city-of-calgary-announces-1200-temporary-layoffs/
http://newsroom.calgary.ca/city-of-calgary-announces-1200-temporary-layoffs/The City of Calgary has implemented mandatory facility closures, program suspensions and temporary layoffs as part of the organization’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Like many businesses and government bodies, COVID-19 has had a significant impact on City programs and services. As a result, many on-call, part-time and temporary employees no longer have work due to facility closures and program suspensions.

Yesterday, The City made the difficult decision to make temporary workforce adjustments by laying off approximately 1,200 valued employees in the Recreation and Calgary Neighbourhoods business units.

“Taking these steps allows impacted employees to apply for supports made available by the Government of Alberta and Government of Canada during this difficult time,” said City Manager David Duckworth. “This is not an action we wanted to take but one we needed to, as the effects of COVID-19 continue to have significant impacts on citizens, City services and our employees.”

Employees in these work areas include swim instructors, arena and athletic park staff, and aquatics and fitness staff. The City is working with impacted employees to ensure they are treated with dignity and respect while adhering to relevant collective agreements.

“I’d like to personally thank these employees for their dedicated service to Calgarians,” said Duckworth. “I look forward to the time when we are able to reopen our facilities and restore impacted services, so we can bring our valued employees back to work.”

The City of Calgary remains committed to providing the essential services citizens rely on every day as the organization continues responding to this unprecedented situation. The City will continue to evaluate and monitor service levels to ensure the right balance for citizens and employees moving forward.

CALGARY – The City of Calgary announced further measures to reinforce physical distancing as part of our response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Effective immediately, The Calgary Emergency Management Agency has ordered the closure of massage parlours as well as hair and nail salons.

“We recognize the impact this will have on the business community and we don’t make this decision lightly,” said CEMA Chief Tom Sampson. “Many of these businesses have already reached out and advised they could not guarantee the safety of their staff and customers and had made the difficult decision to close themselves.”

The City also announced the closure of all skateparks, sports fields and called for an end to all organized sports including football, basketball and soccer due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The City had previously announced a closure of playgrounds.

Sampson said these are extra-ordinary measures but they are warranted to help flatten the curve of the spread of COVID-19.

“This is not a typical time,” said Sampson. “Things are different. So, we must all act differently.”

Sampson said that doesn’t mean Calgarians who are not in quarantine can’t enjoy our great outdoors.

Parks will be open and there will be new signage encouraging Calgarians to physically distance by two metres from one another.

“Parks staff will be monitoring City parks and reporting back on compliance,” said Sampson. “We’ll be watching and reminding congregated people to back up and give each other some space. We have 8,000 hectares of gorgeous parks space out there – two metres distance should be very easy to maintain if we are not all going to the same park.”

Sampson said that while most Calgarians are being responsible in the face of recent restrictions, some are not getting the message.

“Folks, these orders are because we are not all getting it yet,” said Sampson. “We are seeing people not following the rules. Most people understand and are doing the right things. For some people, we need to be extra clear.”

The City anticipates an influx of Citizens taking to the outdoors as the weather improves.

Sampson said Calgarians should responsibly take advantage of the good weather.

“This is going to be a beautiful weekend and we don’t want to kill the buzz of a gorgeous spring day. So, if you go out – spread out,” said Sampson.